


Faithfully Dangerous

by enigmaticblue



Series: Now and Always [3]
Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-04-15
Updated: 2008-04-15
Packaged: 2017-10-10 00:37:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 68,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/93344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during my story Latter Days. Faith is sent to L.A. to get information out of Angel and recruit Wesley—if she can. What she discovers is a scheme by persons unknown to take advantage of the imbalance, and an unlikely friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Although this takes place during Latter Days, there isn't a direct 1-1 relationship between the chapters. So, you could say that time is moving at a slightly different pace, although they will intersect.

**“Your paint dries, the canvas smiles,/with two eyes you lift yourself up./Stroke your skin, there are teeth marks to be sure./Maybe we’re best close to the ground./Maybe angels drag us down./I wonder which part of this will leave the scar…Let the whole world drift downstream./We’ll always be different./Swim the silent slipstream inside of me./No matter what they say, you’ll always be/faithfully dangerous, lost and lovely,/so beautiful to me./I’m not too blind to see.” ~Over the Rhine, “Faithfully Dangerous”**

**Chapter 1**

Faith stepped through the gate at LAX and glanced around, trying to spot a familiar face. She had called ahead, but had been forced to leave a message with Angel’s secretary—who had, oddly enough she thought, identified herself as Harmony. She vaguely remembered the girl from the time she’d spent in Sunnydale, when she’d still been friendly with Buffy.

How the hell she’d wound up in L.A., working for Angel, was a mystery that Faith didn’t care to unravel.

She didn’t see anyone at the gate, so she headed to the baggage carousel. Faith had been happy to discover that her new papers were just as good at getting her back into the country as they were getting her out. The last thing she needed was to get caught red-handed with fake identification.

Faith snagged her bag from the carousel and headed for the exit, thinking she’d find a taxi to take her to the Wolfram &amp; Hart offices. “Faith!” At first, she didn’t turn around, not realizing that she was the one being hailed. “Faith!”

She turned to see Wesley approaching her at a fast clip. “Wes?”

“Sorry,” he said, a bit breathlessly. “I was running late.”

“I can see that,” she replied, amused. He looked better than he had the last time she’d seen him, less tired, and his eyes weren’t as haunted. “Did Giles call you?”

“He did, although I didn’t get his message until this morning. Things have been a little hectic recently.” He held out a hand for her bag. “Can I get that for you?”

She smirked. “I think I’ve got it, thanks. What’s kept you so busy?”

“We’re still trying to get settled,” Wesley explained. “Lorne has been doing readings to see which employees are at the firm because they’ve bought into the philosophy, or because they were simply doing their jobs.”

Faith frowned. “What’s the difference? They had to know what the firm was up to.”

“That’s debatable,” Wesley replied. “Even so, it was Angel’s decision.”

“How is Angel?” she asked. “Feeling evil?”

His lips twitched. “Not that I’ve noticed, but then you know how often Angel talks about his feelings.”

“Never?”

“Precisely.” Wesley glanced over at her. “Would you mind telling me why you’re in Los Angeles? Giles said that you wanted to speak to Angel about the amulet, but that could have been done over the phone.”

“He wanted a personal report, and not just on the amulet,” Faith hedged. Then, wanting to change the subject, she asked, “So, where am I staying? The hotel again?”

He cleared his throat. “The hotel has been closed, actually. Angel’s paid for it, but no one’s staying there, so there’s no water or electricity. I thought—well, you could stay with me if you like, or I can get you a hotel room. It would be at our expense, of course.”

Faith considered her options. There was a good possibility that she and Wesley would end up wanting to kill each other, but she would have readier access to a steady stream of information. She couldn’t quite get a read on the ex-Watcher; Faith had no idea what his preference might be, or if it mattered to him at all. “It’s up to you,” she finally said. “It’s your place I’d be crashing at.”

Wesley seemed a little taken aback by her response, but he shrugged. “Well, we can try my apartment for a day or two, and if you decide you’d be more comfortable at a hotel, you can let me know.”

She shrugged. “Sounds good to me. So, where are these offices you keep talking about?”

~~~~~

Wesley had expected her to reject his offer of his apartment out of hand. This was Faith, and they would likely end up killing one another if they spent too much time in close quarters. He’d made the offer out of what was probably a misguided sense of chivalry, and when she’d sent the ball back into his court, he hadn’t been able to say that he would see to getting her a hotel room.

It just wasn’t polite.

Still, they had come a long way in the last few years, and they had made a certain kind of peace the last time she was in town. Wesley had regrets, of course; he’d used her shamelessly to capture Angelus so that Willow could restore his soul. Perhaps, in giving her a hand now, he could make up for those actions in some small way.

“This is my office,” Wesley explained, leading her inside. “Angel’s is in another area.”

“You guys still aren’t close, huh?”

He wasn’t sure what to make of that question. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Well, I know he was evil the last time I was here, but you and Angel weren’t all that friendly.” Faith turned away from his windows, hands shoved in her pockets. “To be honest, I was a little surprised when Giles told me you’d come to work for this place.”

Wesley shrugged, knowing how odd it might look, considering the allegiances that the law firm had traditionally held. “Angel made the decision to come, and we thought we could do more good with the resources at our disposal here.”

“What did they use as bait for you?”

He hated to acknowledge her point, but Faith was close to the truth. “Resources, as I said.” Wesley motioned to the book-lined walls. “There’s more here than I would have ever had working on my own, or with Angel.”

Faith gave him a searching look, then seemed to dismiss the matter from her mind. “Right. So where’s Angel? Does he know I’m coming?”

“I sent him a message that I was picking you up,” he replied, hanging his jacket on the coat hook just behind the door. “I’ll show you to his office.”

The walk through the hallways was silent; Wesley had no idea what to say to her, or how to combat the disapproval that seemed to radiate off of her. He understood what Wolfram &amp; Hart had stood for in the past, but they were changing that. They had an opportunity to make real, lasting changes now.

He hoped. Wesley was still hanging onto hope, even though there was a small voice within him that kept insisting it was a fruitless exercise.

“Is Angel in his office?” Wesley asked Harmony, stopping by her desk on the way in out of courtesy.

Harmony didn’t even look at him, instead fixing her eyes on Faith with a look that clearly expressed her distaste. “He’s in there, but I don’t think he wants to be bothered.”

“He’ll deal with it,” Wesley replied. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind saying hello to our guest.”

Harmony shrugged and tossed her hair. “It’s your funeral.”

Wesley looked over at Faith, who smirked. “I’ll protect you.” She leaned in close to him as he opened the door. “Is she—”

“She is,” he murmured. “But she’s on a human-free diet.”

As soon as he opened the door, Angel called, “Harmony! I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed.”

“I never thought you’d be the kind of guy who didn’t have time for an old friend,” Faith drawled.

The vampire’s head came up, and he blinked at her a couple of times. “Faith?”

“In the flesh.”

Angel rose and came out from behind his desk, wrapping Faith in a hug. “How have you been?”

“Good,” she said. “Just got in from Brazil, actually. Willow was having some demon trouble down there.”

“What sort of trouble?” he asked, waving Faith to a seat on one of the couches.

Wesley sat down, used to being ignored at this point. Angel had been colder to him of late, although he had no idea why that would be.

“Demos demons were out to kill every newbie Slayer they could find.” Faith leaned back into the couch cushions and propped her feet on the table. “I took out the demons—all the ones I could find, anyway. It was a good time.”

“So, what can I do for you, Faith?” Angel asked, his gaze shrewd. “You didn’t come here to catch up on gossip.”

“No, I came to find out if you were going to go off the deep end,” she replied bluntly. “This place has a bad rep, Angel.”

His jaw set. “We’re changing that.”

“You know, my school guidance counselor said something about reputations. Of course, she was trying to tell me that I was a slut, but the same principle probably applies.”

Angel glared at her. “Faith—”

“It’s a legitimate concern,” Wesley pointed out. “Giles is correct; Wolfram and Hart does not have a good reputation.”

His sigh spoke volumes. “We’ve been over this. Just because this _was_ an evil law firm doesn’t mean that it still is.”

“And just because you say so doesn’t make it so.” Faith’s eyes stayed on his face. “Come on, Angel. We’ve been through a few things together, which is why Giles sent me.”

“I’m not exactly sure what I can say to give you the proof you need,” Angel responded.

Faith smiled. “I need information, and we need help. I think that will go a long way towards proving your sincerity.”

“How bad is it, Faith?” Wesley asked quietly. He’d known that it would have to be bad if Giles was calling him and sending Faith to them for information.

She shook her head. “No one knows, but the last I heard was that Giles gave the go ahead for Spike to recruit demons to help out. No way he does that unless things are grim.”

“Wait, Spike?” Angel frowned. “I thought that Buffy said he was dead.”

Faith’s expression was unreadable. “It didn’t take, hence our need to know about the amulet. It’s hard to say what would have happened to him if Willow hadn’t taken steps to get it sent to her—and you’re the one who gave it to Buffy in the first place.”

“I thought I would be the one to wear it,” Angel protested.

“And it was Spike, which still begs the question of what the hell it was and where the hell it came from. That’s some powerful mojo built into it.”

Wesley studied both Angel and Faith, wondering what exactly was going on—what had gone on. “Where did it come from, Angel?”

The vampire glanced over at him. “Lilah gave it to me when she filled me in on what was going on in Sunnydale.” Turning back to Faith, he added, “And I told you, I was supposed to wear it.”

“Then what was it meant to do to you?” Wesley asked, feeling a spark of alarm. “Think, Angel. If Spike hadn’t worn it…”

“We don’t know what would have happened,” Angel muttered, sounding a little rebellious, but Wesley knew him well enough that he could tell that Faith was getting through. “All I know is what I was told,” he admitted. “At the time, I wasn’t thinking about the consequences.”

“Fair enough,” Faith said evenly. “But I’ll still need more information. Giles told me I was supposed to get everything I could.”

“Wes can help you with that,” Angel replied. “Anything else?”

“With all the resources you’ve got here, you could probably do something for us in the way of finding Slayers,” she pointed out.

“I can help her with that, too,” Wesley said before Angel could reply. “It’s not really your field of expertise.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” Angel replied. He glanced over at the clock. “I hate to have to run, but—”

“You have to run.” Faith rose. “It was nice to see you again.”

Angel sounded sincere when he replied, “Yeah. It was good to see you. I’m sure I’ll see you around. How long are you staying?”

“As long as it takes.” Faith headed towards the doors of the office, Wesley close behind, and she waited until they were back in his office with the door closed before saying anything. “What the hell was that, Wes?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Did you hear him?” Faith shook her head, pacing back and forth. “There’s something not right here.”

Wanting her to stand still, Wesley grabbed her arm. “Faith—”

“I’m starving,” she announced, interrupting him. “Is there anything to eat around here?”

He shook his head. “We could go get something. I probably should have offered earlier.”

“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” Faith replied. “I need a break.”

~~~~~

Faith couldn’t believe that Wesley didn’t sense it, but he had changed since the last time she’d been in L.A. He was a little less edgy, a little more relaxed, and Faith might have chalked it up to being at the law firm, but she hadn’t seen any difference in Angel.

What was worse were the gaps in her memory, something she hadn’t noticed until she saw Wesley and Angel again. She remembered that she’d broken out of prison in order to help stuff Angel’s soul back inside him, but there were things that were fuzzy after that. It was like trying to recall something that was at the tip of her tongue and not being able to.

“When we were trying to capture Angel, who was with us?” Faith asked urgently, after they’d been seated. Wesley had found a restaurant that served burgers, which was what she’d asked for.

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Who was with us, Wes? Who was around the hotel at the time?”

His brow furrowed, and Faith saw that he recognized the problem too. “Gunn and Fred, of course,” he began, speaking slowly. “Cordelia was around, but she’d been possessed. Willow came down from Sunnydale to do the curse, but…” Wesley trailed off. “There’s something else there.”

Faith felt her shoulders sag in relief, absurdly grateful that she wasn’t the only one having memory problems. “So, it’s not just me, huh?”

“No, but—” He shook his head, as though trying to clear it. “It’s not just capturing Angelus,” he murmured. “There’s so much that’s missing, and I never realized.”

She took a breath. “Angel knows. Whatever it is, he knows about it.”

“How can you be so sure?” Wesley demanded. “Angel may have been affected as well.”

“He hasn’t changed, Wes,” Faith insisted. “You were different; he wasn’t, and nobody ever told me why he agreed to take over when he hated that place.”

After a moment of silence, Wesley admitted, “I don’t know what changed his mind, exactly. From what I remember, one moment he was certain that it wasn’t a good idea, and then he changed his mind the next.”

She didn’t like the sound of that; it seemed as though the firm had been able to get some leverage on him, and Faith didn’t like not knowing what that was. “So, what are we going to do about it?”

“What’s more important?” Wesley asked. “The amulet, or this?”

Faith couldn’t quite believe that he was asking her, or that he was letting her make the call, but she appreciated it. It was her mission after all. “The amulet,” she decided. “Both Willow and Giles were asking about it, and Angel seems to be okay where he is. That’s not to say we can’t do two things at once, though.”

“We can do that.” He leaned back in his seat, his eyes hooded. “The best place to start would probably be the archives; there should be a record of it there, if it came from the law firm.”

Faith nodded. “Are we going to say anything to Angel or the others?”

“Better not.” Wesley’s lips twisted into a grim smile. “They’re all rather busy at the moment.”

“Doing what?”

“Enjoying their new resources.” He looked up as their waitress brought their food. “It probably doesn’t need to be said that we shouldn’t talk about this at the office.”

Faith shook her head. “I didn’t think so.” She picked up her burger and bit into it with a moan of pleasure. It had been a long time since she’d had a meal, and she’d been hungry.

Wesley’s expression was amused, but he followed her lead and started eating his own meal. “How is Willow doing in Brazil?” he asked between bites.

She began to fill him in, wondering if his show of interest was going to make it easier to convince him to leave Los Angeles and rejoin the Council.

~~~~~

Angel knew that Faith’s appearance didn’t bode well. It wasn’t that he regretted his decision to take over the law firm, but that he didn’t want anyone to find out about the deal he’d made, and what they’d done for him.

He had expected that the amulet would kill him; from what he’d been told, it had purifying properties, and it was highly unlikely that the demon would have been able to survive the process. What disturbed him was that there might have been more to it than simply meaning his death; if he had been the one trapped inside, would that have meant that Wolfram &amp; Hart would have had a greater hold on him?

It had brought Spike back, but that might have been because the amulet hadn’t been meant for the other souled vampire. Angel suspected that he’d had a narrow escape, even though he wasn’t sure from what.

Angel knew Faith; she wouldn’t be put off. She was incredibly stubborn, and about the only thing he could do—other than coming clean—was to hope that the spell held, and that they didn’t discover his secret.

The timid knock on his door was followed by Fred. “Did you want to see me?”

“I did.” Angel forced a smile. “How’s the lab, Fred?”

“It’s great,” she replied enthusiastically. “Everyone has been really nice, and I think I’m finally settled in.”

“Good. I’d like you to do me a favor.”

“Sure.” Fred smiled, her expression as open as it ever was. Although Angel remembered a time when she’d been warier, she didn’t. He wasn’t sure exactly how the memory spell worked, only that no one would remember Connor.

How that affected their memories of the last two years was unclear, but it hadn’t been a question he’d been willing to ask.

“Faith is in town, and she’ll probably be sticking around for a while. I’d like you to help her out any way you can. She’s looking for a way to locate the Slayers who were activated.” Angel hoped that the gesture on his part would convince Faith that he wasn’t evil, while giving the Council the assistance it so desperately needed.

Fred looked a little dubious. “I don’t know, Angel. That doesn’t seem like something I’d be any good at. Why don’t you have Wesley research it on the magic end?”

“He already is. I’d like you to try, Fred. Just do your best.”

“I’ll try.” Her brow furrowed, and Angel knew that she was already working on the problem. “Do you think Faith would give me a blood sample? That might help. There has to be something that makes Slayers different from everybody else.”

Angel smiled encouragingly. “I’ll send her your way.”

When she’d gone, he ran a hand over his face, wondering what this was going to mean for the future.

He didn’t know that he had the capacity to hope for the best anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

The archives had been a bust. There was nothing in there about the amulet, although they had stumbled upon the contract that Angel had signed when he joined Wolfram &amp; Hart; that had been a revelation. Wesley hadn’t been sure that they would be able to get it out of the building, but they had managed to make a copy.

Faith hadn’t bothered trying to decipher the legalese; she never understood why lawyers had to make everything so hard to understand.

With their search of the archives over, they headed back to Wesley’s apartment for their much-deserved rest. Faith felt as though she hadn’t slept in days, and she was ready to crash.

“I’ve got the couch,” she announced to circumvent any gentlemanly actions on Wesley’s part. He was just the type to insist, and his couch looked comfortable enough, at least for someone who wasn’t over six foot.

A smile tilted the corners of his lips. “If you insist,” he replied.

“Only if I can get a shower first, though. I’ve been in these clothes for a while.”

Wesley didn’t bother showing her the way to the bathroom; Faith knew her way around his apartment at this point. It felt strange to be here again, under such different circumstances, but still very much the same. Still the two of them against the world, or at least whatever circumstances the world threw at them.

The hot water felt good, washing away the sweat and grime that had accumulated in the heat and humidity of Rio and Los Angeles. Faith didn’t mind the heat so much, but she would have preferred a hot body in the shower with her. Not that she regretted breaking up with Wood; that had needed to happen. What she did miss was the closeness, the hard body against her own, the release that came from sex.

Wesley might be able to oblige her in that area, but he was one of the few men that she hadn’t gotten that vibe from.

She came out of the bathroom in the t-shirt and shorts she wore to sleep usually—when there was someone around she wasn’t sleeping with.

Wesley was on the couch, looking at Angel’s contract. He was wearing his glasses again, and Faith assumed that he’d ditched his contacts. “Why don’t you take the bed?” he suggested. “I’m not that tired, and I’ll probably work on this for a while.”

She frowned. “I don’t—”

“Really,” he insisted. “I did change the sheets recently.”

Faith smirked. “I wasn’t worried about that. If you’re sure…”

“Go. You look like you could use the sleep.”

Her eyebrow went up. “Is that a slam on how I look?”

“If you insist.” Wesley had obviously decided that he wasn’t going to be baited.

She shrugged. “Yeah, alright. I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

Faith wasn’t too disappointed at how things turned out. Wesley’s bed was a lot more comfortable than his couch, and the sheets smelled like him. It wasn’t an unpleasant smell, and she found herself drifting off to sleep in no time.

~~~~~

Wesley woke up just before dawn with a stiff neck, and papers scattered across the floor. “Bloody hell,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, and then beginning to gather the contract pages together.

He was acutely aware that Faith was in his bedroom, and likely sleeping better than he had; the couch hadn’t been the problem, however. Wesley had always known that Faith was an attractive girl, but this time it had been even more apparent to him.

Not that he planned on doing anything about it. Whatever camaraderie there was between the two of them now was fresh and new, and likely fragile. It would be all too easy for him to use her again, this time to forget Fred, much as he’d done with Lilah.

Lilah—Wesley still didn’t know how he’d taken up with her; all he knew was that by the time she’d been killed, his feelings for her had been real. Perhaps it hadn’t been love, but he was no longer certain that such an emotion existed for someone like him.

He stared at the contract for a moment before rising to start the coffee. There was a part of him that knew that if he could only discover the reason behind Angel’s decision to take over the law firm, and what held him there, he would be well on his way to answering a number of questions.

Beyond that, however, Wesley knew that he would need to do his own research into why the amulet had worked the way that it had. The fact that Lilah had been the one to give it to Angel didn’t tell Wesley anything, other than its uses might be as complicated as her motives.

That information wasn’t much help, however.

“Did you sleep okay?”

Faith’s voice startled him; Wesley had been expecting her to sleep a lot later. From what he remembered, she’d always been a night owl, and her calling tended to reinforce that. “Fine. What about you?”

“Great,” she replied with a smile. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “We’d probably better go back to the office. I can’t seem to make heads or tails of the contract, and it might be best to start work on figuring out where that amulet came from.”

She frowned. “You couldn’t figure out the contract?”

“No, why?”

“Because you’re the brain.” Her tone implied that he should have already figured that much out for himself. “You ever thought that maybe the problem you’re having with the contract is the same problem we’re having with our memories?”

He swore fluently, ignoring her half-impressed expression. “Of course,” he muttered. “It’s no wonder if whatever Angel did to our memories…” Trailing off, Wesley thought about the one passage that had given him the most trouble; it was also the one that had seemed most important overall, initialed as it was with a broad letter “A”.

Striding out into the living room, he picked up the sheaf of papers yet again, flipping through and finding the page in question. “Read this,” he ordered, pointing to Angel’s handwriting.

“It’s an ‘A’,” Faith said, looking at him as though he’d just gone crazy. “So what?”

“The paragraph next to it,” Wesley replied, letting some of his own impatience shine through.

Faith didn’t appear convinced, but she shrugged. He watched as her eyes scanned the paragraph quickly, and then she slowed down. “Wait. Angel’s got a son?”

“Is that what it says?” he asked, looking over her shoulder. Now that she’d said it out loud, the meaning behind the words that had been escaping him all night long was finally clear. Angel had had a son who had been given a new life. That was why the vampire had agreed to join Wolfram &amp; Hart.

It explained everything and nothing, however. Wesley had no memory of any of this, and the sort of spell that would need to be cast to accomplish the task was incredible. The power involved—

“I think we may have a problem,” he murmured.

“You mean the fact that Angel hid his kid?” she asked. “I get that.”

“No, our memories. Whoever cast the spell would have to be powerful enough to alter the fabric of reality. They created an entirely new set of memories.”

“For him,” Faith said, jabbing the paper to refer to Angel’s son. “We’ve just got gaps, and I have to say that’s really pissing me off. I don’t like people messing with my head like that.”

“I can’t say that I do either,” he replied, sinking down on the couch. Wesley had no idea if confronting Angel was even a possibility. “I have no idea what to do about this. If we go to Angel—”

Did he even want to go to the vampire? Could Wesley still trust him? What else was he not remembering? Could this be the reason for Angel’s coolness towards him? He had a number of questions, all of them likely to go unanswered for the time being.

“I say we find out what we can on our own. We don’t know if we can trust him.” Faith gave voice to his own concerns.

Wesley took a deep breath. “I don’t believe we’ll find any more information in the archives regarding Angel’s agreement. We’ll probably need to find an outside source for that. As for your Slayers, since you said that the coven was working on a magical solution, perhaps we ought to ask Fred for her help.”

She frowned. “Yeah, sure. When do you want to go?”

“As soon as I can get cleaned up.” He rose wearily. While Wesley wasn’t sorry to see Faith again, or to know the truth, it felt like too much to deal with at present.

~~~~~

Faith didn’t know what to think about asking Fred for help; besides Wesley, she wasn’t sure that there was anyone else from Angel’s gang she trusted.

_Why_ she trusted Wesley, she had no idea, unless it was because they’d started being honest with one another a long time ago, while they’d still been enemies. She supposed that anyone who could offer his couch to someone who had tortured him deserved the benefit of the doubt.

Fred, though—there was something about her that Faith wasn’t sure she liked. While she couldn’t put her finger on it, that didn’t bother her, considering that she generally went with her gut.

Which was why she really didn’t like the other woman’s request. “You want my blood? What are you now? A vampire?”

“It’s not like that,” Fred insisted, looking a bit distressed. “We just thought that maybe your blood would give some indication as to why Slayers are different. If we don’t know why Slayers are different, or what makes them get chosen, then we can’t figure out a way to find them.”

“I don’t think you need to do a blood test to figure that out,” Faith objected. “We’ll know.”

“But if we figure out the science part, we might be able to incorporate that into a spell,” Fred explained. “I promise, we aren’t going to do anything bad with it.”

Faith still hesitated. Maybe Fred could be trusted, but her blood would be in the hands of the law firm, and that was the part she didn’t like. Something about that idea just didn’t feel right.

On the other hand, if this helped the Council find the new Slayers before they could be hunted down and killed, that would definitely be to their benefit. “Yeah, alright,” she finally agreed. “But I want you to promise me that you’re the only one handling it.”

“I promise.” Fred looked cheerful now that she’d given in. “This won’t hurt a bit.”

Faith didn’t believe her; she’d had blood drawn before. On the other hand, once you got stabbed in the gut with your own big-ass knife, a little prick just didn’t compare on the pain scale.

As the vial filled up, she glanced over at Wesley, who was watching the proceedings with a stony expression. Faith had no idea what was eating at him, then she caught him glancing over at Knox, hovering nearby. The way Wes’ jaw tightened, and the way Knox was watching Fred with hunger in his eyes, told her everything she needed to know about the situation.

Oddly enough, Faith felt a pang of something like jealousy, knowing that Wesley was pining after Fred. The scientist was definitely his type—all brains and sweetness, certainly nothing like Faith.

Not to mention the whole torture thing. Even if she’d wanted to jump his bones—which she didn’t—that would certainly prove to be an obstacle.

Suddenly feeling antsy, Faith stood as soon as Fred had finished taking her sample. “Is that all you need from me?”

“For right now,” Fred confirmed. “I’ll let you know if there’s anything else.”

“Yeah, sure.” Faith glanced at Wes. “I should check in with Giles.”

He got her meaning almost immediately. “Of course. Why don’t you use my office?”

Once they were out of the lab, Faith murmured, “I’ll call from my cell outside the building.”

Wesley looked as though he was about to protest, but thought better of it. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“Maybe you should start working on those thick books of yours. I can’t spend all day stuck inside,” Faith responded.

He nodded. “If you’d like.”

Relieved, she gave him a quick grin. “See you.”

Faith headed out the doors of the office building as quickly as she could. Odd to be there when she’d worked for Wolfram &amp; Hart, if only briefly. Odder still to think that she’d tried to kill Angel for them, and now he was the CEO. Life was funny sometimes.

As soon as she was a couple of blocks away from the offices, she hit Giles’ number on her speed dial. “Faith. How are things going?” he asked immediately.

“Good,” she replied. “Wesley’s been pretty helpful.”

“Are you staying at Angel’s hotel?”

“Wes’ place. He said that Angel pretty much shut the place down, so it’s not fit for humans.”

“I see. How is that working out?”

Faith could hear the skepticism in his voice, and she wondered if he thought she was that hard to live with, or if he expected her and Wesley to kill each other. “Fine. It’s only been one night. They’ll put me up at a hotel if things get too weird.”

“What have you found out so far?” he asked.

“That Angel has a kid, and he made a deal with the devil to protect him,” Faith replied, summing it up neatly.

She could almost hear him pull his glasses off and start to polish them. “Angel has a son? Why wasn’t I aware of this?”

“Because part of the deal with W&amp;H was that they’d make the kid disappear, give him an entirely new set of memories, and make sure that no one else remembered him,” Faith replied. “Things started to feel weird yesterday. There were things I couldn’t remember from the last time I was here, but not the usual sort of gaps, if you know what I mean.”

“I think I do,” he said cautiously. “Is Wesley aware of this?”

“He knows as much as I do. I think we can trust him, at least.”

There was a pause. “And the others?”

“I don’t know.” Faith had never been very good at putting her feelings into words, although the prison shrinks had helped her with that. “Fred’s looking into a better way of finding Slayers for us.” She wasn’t sure that she wanted to tell him that she’d given a blood sample, but it was probably a good idea to get it out of the way now, so she spit it out.

There was a long silence after she dropped that bit of news. “I see.”

“I fucked it up, didn’t I?” she asked grimly.

Giles sighed. “You took a gamble, one that might turn out for the best. I’ll talk to Miriam about it. There may be a way to ensure that no harm comes to you because of it.”

“I’m sorry, Giles.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He sounded firm. “We’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks.”

“Should I send Caridad your way?” he asked.

Faith didn’t even have to think about it. “No, not yet. Things are kind of weird right now, and adding another Slayer to the mix is probably not the best idea.”

“You’ll let me know if you need help?”

“I will.” Faith was again warmed by the reminder that someone was concerned for her well-being. That hadn’t been true when she’d worked for the Mayor. “I’ll call soon.”

“Do that. Be careful, Faith.”

She said goodbye knowing that someone was looking out for her best interests.

~~~~~

Wesley would have much preferred heading out of the office with Faith than staying inside. Unfortunately, his position with Wolfram &amp; Hart did not allow the kind of freedom that being self-employed had, and there were things he had to get done. The reports that wound up piled on his desk had to be sorted, fires had to be put out, and tempers needed to be placated.

He was admittedly still getting settled into his routine, and yet resisting the idea at the same time. The truth was that he wasn’t happy here; the firm made him uncomfortable, perhaps because he had come so close to giving in and joining the dark side when Lilah made the offer. Wesley had been determined to make the best of it, but with Faith’s arrival, he was seeing things in a new light.

He was, in fact, remembering every reason he’d had for not being a part of this place.

While he suspected that Faith was under orders to check them out, and to offer him a position with the Council if he wasn’t evil, Wesley didn’t know that he would take her up on it. Granted, the idea held some appeal, and he would certainly find it easy enough to leave. It was just that he was very good at what he did, and he didn’t want to accept a job offered out of pity, or dire need.

Then again, perhaps it was time to leave Los Angeles, to put some distance between him and Fred. It might be for the best.

Wesley flipped open the manila folder and read the first few lines of the report, which was usually enough to give him a good idea of what pile it belonged in. The words he read sent a chill down his spine, however, and he immediately picked up the phone. “I need to speak to Lorne,” he said when the operator answered. “Tell him that it’s Wesley.”

Putting the receiver down again, he went back over what he’d just read. Demonic activity was up—but he’d already been aware of that through Faith. What bothered him was the information his agent had gathered. There were indications that the Senior Partners were gathering their forces, at least in the other branches. Wesley had no idea what that meant for their office, since they were the ones in charge.

At least in theory.

The idea that they might only be puppets on strings was not a new one to him, however, and he was aware that it was entirely possible that they had been manipulated. The prophecies all indicated that the souled vampire would be in the center of the next apocalypse, but which side he would be on was unknown.

Now, of course, Wesley knew that the prophecy could apply to either Angel or Spike—or perhaps to both. There was nothing that said that a prophecy couldn’t have multiple fulfillments, which meant that the Senior Partners might be hedging their bets by ensuring that Angel would be on their side, one way or another.

Rubbing his eyes warily, he focused on the information at hand. Wesley needed to discover the source of that amulet, what the Senior Partners wanted, and whether they had anything to fear from Angel or the others—although maybe not in that order.

With any luck, Lorne would at least be able to tell him whether or not Angel had been different lately. The anagogic demon had sensed when the vampire was ready to wander off the path before; maybe he’d be able to do the same again.


	3. Chapter 3

Lorne had never met a Slayer before, but it was pretty obvious what the girl was as soon as he walked into Wesley’s office. She was devouring a sandwich that was nearly the size of her head, and from the way she was going after it, she hadn’t eaten in a week. Wesley was eating his own meal, but more slowly, listening attentively to the story Faith was telling him.

“So, anyway, after I’d knocked some sense into him, we got along okay,” she was saying. “We had too much to do dealing with the Demos to really hash it out like he probably wanted to, but life’s just not fair sometimes.”

Wesley nodded. “I remember him from the Academy, actually.”

“Fondly?”

“We weren’t friends,” he said. “But then again, I didn’t have many there. I do remember him being an insufferable arse, though, so it’s nice to know that some things stay the same.”

Lorne found the scene highly interesting, particularly the vibes he was getting from the two of them. They were comfortable with each other in a way that Lorne hadn’t expected, especially given what he knew about the history between the two.

Clearing his throat to announce his presence, Lorne said, “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, thank you for coming by.” Wesley waved him to a chair. “Would you mind closing the door behind you?”

That caused a raised eyebrow, but the demon did as he was asked. His curiosity now doubly piqued, he settled into the chair. “You must be the Slayer,” he said, looking appreciatively at Faith.

She smirked in response. “That’s right. It’s Faith Furelli.”

Wesley looked a little surprised. “You didn’t tell me that you’d changed your name.”

“I didn’t, Giles did.” She shrugged. “He thought it was probably best if Faith Lehane didn’t make it out of the L.A. riots alive.”

Wesley looked thoughtful. “That isn’t too far from the truth.”

“No, it’s not.”

Lorne watched as their eyes met and held, and he waited a moment to see if Wesley would get around to telling him why he’d called. “Wes?” he finally said, breaking through the silence. “You wanted to see me?”

“Of course.” Wesley seemed to focus on him with an effort. “I wanted to talk to you about Angel. Have you noticed anything different about him lately?”

“Are you sure we should be talking about this here?” Faith objected.

He nodded. “It’s fine, Faith. I made sure of it.”

Lorne held up a green-skinned hand. “Wait just a moment, kids. We’re not planning a mutiny, are we?”

Wesley shook his head. “It’s nothing like that. When we were looking for information in the archives, however, we discovered some disturbing information. Faith needs to know if she can trust Angel, or if he’s at risk.”

“At risk for what?” Lorne saw Wesley’s raised eyebrow and meaningful look, and he nodded. “Oh, I get it. You want to know if he’s going to do the equivalent of locking a bunch of lawyers in a room with a couple of vampires.” When the man nodded, Lorne sighed. “Other than the fact that he’s been broodier than usual, I don’t think you have to worry about it.”

“Have you heard him sing lately?” Wesley asked.

Lorne snorted. “I don’t have to. I’ve spent enough time around the big lug to know his moods inside and out. I’d say he’s missing someone right now, but it’s probably related to that other Slayer—the blonde.”

“Buffy?” Faith asked skeptically. “They’ve been over each other for a long time, haven’t they?”

“It could be Cordelia,” Wesley pointed out. “They still haven’t been able to bring her out of the coma.”

Faith held up a hand. “The cheerleader’s in a coma? When did that happen?” She frowned. “I hadn’t realized that she wasn’t around.”

Wesley opened his mouth to reply, then stopped. “Lorne? Do you remember what happened?”

“Something mystical,” Lorne replied absently. “I think…”

Now that was odd. Lorne couldn’t really remember why Cordelia had ended up in a coma, only that it had something to do with a mystical pregnancy that hadn’t ended well. He couldn’t even recall how Cordelia had wound up pregnant in the first place.

“I don’t know,” he admitted finally. “And that’s odd.” His eyes narrowed. “That’s why you were asking about Angel. You think he had something to do with it?”

Wesley sighed. “I know he did. It’s in the contract.”

“What contract?” Lorne asked, then shook his head, stopping Wesley’s answer. “He signed one, and the rest of us didn’t.”

Faith finished off her sandwich and leaned back in her chair. “Pretty much. You got a reason for that?”

“Other than the fact that Angel had been hiding this, and so he’s not going to like us finding out about it? No.” Lorne shook his head. “I don’t know what to tell you kids, but the quickest way to get the answers would be to go to the man himself. Or vampire in his case.”

Wesley was shaking his head before the sentence was fully out of his mouth. “No, not until we know what kind of hold this place has on him, or how closely he’s being watched. There’s no point in risking it.”

“And Fred and Gunn?” Lorne asked. “Are you going to say anything to them?”

Lorne’s suspicions were confirmed when Wesley looked at Faith. “It’s up to you.”

Faith shook her head. “I don’t know them as well as you do,” she argued.

“Well, if you want my advice, you’re probably going to want backup.” Lorne enjoyed what he was doing, but he didn’t harbor any delusions about what the law firm was really all about. When they had agreed to work from the inside, it was with the idea that they could change things for the better.

He knew that while things were better, Wolfram &amp; Hart was never going to be a shining force for good. At best, it might be neutral, but Lorne figured that he could do neutral. He wasn’t so sure about the others.

Lorne watched as Faith and Wesley’s eyes met again, and some unspoken communication passed between the two. “It’s up to you,” Faith finally said. “They’re your friends.”

“Maybe we’d better.” Wesley spoke slowly, and it was clear that he was still uncertain about the idea.

The demon rose. “If that’s all you had for me, I’d better get going, Wes. I have a few egos to soothe.”

“Of course,” Wesley replied. “Thank you, Lorne.”

By the time he’d reached the door, Wes and Faith were already deep in discussion again, although this time it sounded slightly more serious than it had when he’d walked in.

Lorne smiled as he shut the door behind him. The developments were going to be fascinating to watch.

~~~~~

Faith nearly changed her mind when she saw Gunn again for the first time. She’d enjoyed working with him back when they were trying to stuff Angel’s soul back in, but this wasn’t the same guy.

The fancy suit, the big words, everything made her feel as uncomfortable as Wesley once had. Before, Gunn had been like so many others she’d known from her old neighborhood—a tough guy who was just trying to do the right thing, although she’d known more people who were just toughs.

This guy—she didn’t trust him. Then again, Faith never had trusted lawyers.

Gunn had reluctantly agreed to eat dinner with them outside the law firm, but had made it clear that he had a lot to get done, and not a lot of time to do it. Wesley had promised that they wouldn’t take up much of his time.

That’s what got to her. The Gunn she’d known would have dropped everything for his friends or a fight. It was as she’d suspected—that this place changed people, and not for the better.

Wesley pushed the contract across the table. “You might want to read the paragraph I’ve marked.”

Gunn scanned it quickly, then shook his head. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Wesley. We all gained an advantage when we agreed to work there.”

Faith was growing impatient. “Read it again,” she insisted. “And pretend you don’t do this for a living now.”

Her harsh words caused him to bristle. “Look. I get that you don’t trust Wolfram and Hart, but you’ve worked with me before. I know what I’m doing.”

“I worked with Charles Gunn,” Faith agreed, “but right now I’m not sure you’re the same person. Just read the damn thing again.”

Maybe it was the knowledge that she could tie him in knots if she wanted that had him looking again, and this time his attention was truly captured. “Wait. Angel has a son?”

Faith leaned back in her chair, satisfied at last. “Yeah, according to that contract. I take it you don’t remember him either.”

“No, although now that you mention it, there does seem to be something there.” Faith could see the Gunn she once knew now, as his expression went from bored to thoughtful. In a way, she supposed she could understand the appeal that the law and the courtroom would have for him—it was still all about the fight, if in a different way.

What she didn’t get was why he’d let them stuff all that information in his head in the first place; who knew what else they’d put in at the same time. It was one of the reasons she’d been a little leery of trusting him.

Wes seemed to think he was okay, though, and Faith was willing to take his word for it.

“I don’t know what you want me to do,” Gunn finally said. “Angel signed the contract, which means that it’s a done deal.”

Wesley frowned. “What about a loophole?”

“Aren’t you lawyers good at that sort of thing?” Faith asked.

Gunn raised his eyebrows. “We’re talking about a law firm. If your suspicions are correct, and I’m not saying they aren’t, then this agreement is air tight.”

“Maybe you should check it out to be sure,” Faith challenged. She didn’t like the vibe she was getting from him, like he wasn’t even willing to look into Angel’s contract.

Gunn shrugged. “I’ll do what I can, but I’m not sure what that does for you. The deal says that Angel got what he wanted. If he leaves, that could change everything.”

“Let’s take this one step at a time,” Wesley replied evenly. “We know that Angel has a son, and that the contract he signed ensures that boy’s safety. I won’t jeopardize that, but we need to know what we’re getting into.”

“Yeah, sure.” Gunn picked up the contract. “I’ve got a meeting to get to. I’ll see you two later.”

As soon as he’d left the restaurant, Faith turned to Wesley. “What was going on there?”

“He was reluctant to help,” Wesley agreed, “but that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Doesn’t it?” Faith wasn’t so sure. “You’re a smart guy, Wes. Don’t stick your head up your ass now.”

“He’s my friend.”

“And I respect that.” Faith leaned in close to him. “But right now we need info on what Angel’s got himself into, and we need it quick. There’s no telling what kind of timeline we’re up against.”

She could see duty fighting with loyalty in his eyes, and Faith understood that; she even appreciated it. The problem was that her first duty was to the Council at this point, and making sure that the entire world didn’t go to hell. Wesley’s relationship with the newly minted lawyer might have to take a hit.

“I don’t know what they gave him, other than the knowledge.” Wesley shook his head. “Honestly, Faith, I don’t know what his reluctance stems from.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’m not making accusations, Wes. I just want to be sure which side you’re on.”

“There are sides now?”

“There are always sides.” Faith figured that now was as good a time as any to bring up Giles’ job offer. “Giles wants you to come work for the Council.”

Wesley shook his head. “Angel—”

“We need you, Wes.” Faith leaned in close, seizing his wrist, being careful not to squeeze too hard. “We’ve got Slayers from all over, and not enough Watchers to train them, or the baby Watchers still at the Academy. You’re one of the best available.”

There was a bitter twist to his lips. “That’s not what was said four years ago.”

“You’re not the same man you were four years ago, just like I’m not the same Slayer,” Faith argued.

“That’s true enough.” He was considering the offer; Faith could see that much. She had a suspicion that much of it had to do with a free pass out of Wolfram &amp; Hart. He wasn’t comfortable there, and she’d be willing to bet that none of the others were either, but they weren’t willing to give up what they’d gained.

“What if we wait?” Faith suggested. “Giles sent me here to get information, and I haven’t collected yet. When it comes time for me to leave, you can go with me if you want.”

“We’ll see.” Wesley stood. “Let’s get back. We may be able to find more information in the archives.”

Faith sighed. “Great. Another afternoon of research.”

“It has to be done,” Wesley said with a smile. “Perhaps I can find a demon for you to kill tonight.”

Faith grinned. “Now you’re talking.”

~~~~~

Wesley hadn’t exactly been surprised by Faith’s offer. He’d been expecting something like that from the moment he’d received the message that she was coming. There was a part of him that wanted to reject the offer out of hand; the Council had abandoned him four years ago, and he didn’t care to get involved with them now that they had come begging.

Besides, he couldn’t be sure that it wasn’t pure desperation that had them knocking at his door.

On the other hand, he had been raised to serve the Council, and to train Slayers. He’d been happy as a private investigator, but he’d never wanted to be doing the job he was doing now.

Leaving Angel at the law firm felt like disloyalty, however, no matter how cold the vampire had been to him of late.

He flipped through another book, unsure of what he was even looking for at this point. Wesley had no information on the amulet, or on what activating the Slayers might have done. In truth, he felt entirely useless.

“Wesley?”

He glanced up, forcing a smile when he saw Fred in the doorway. “Hello. What can I do for you?”

“Is everything okay?” She looked concerned. “I called your name about five times.”

Wesley took a deep breath. The last thing he wanted to do was to spill his guts to her knowing that she was likely to get involved with Knox—if she wasn’t already. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to find some information for Faith, and I’m afraid I’m not having much luck.”

“Maybe I’ve got some good news for you,” Fred replied, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from his desk. “It looks like there is a variation in Faith’s blood in comparison to the reference sample we have.”

He raised an eyebrow. “That was quick work.”

“Knox is a huge help,” Fred replied with a smile that told him everything he needed to know about how their flirtation was progressing. “Anyway, I don’t think there’s much I can do with the variation. I mean, it’s there, but like Faith said, it doesn’t tell us much about where they are, and they don’t have any trouble identifying them.”

“That’s true enough.” Wesley took the folder she handed across the table. “Your suggestion would be that we turn to magical means.”

“Maybe. That’s not really my area of expertise.” She stood, smoothing her skirt nervously. “I’ve gotta go. I promised Knox that we’d take a break for dinner tonight. There’s just so much still to do, you know.”

He nodded, watching as she walked towards the door. “Fred?” he called, just as she was about to step outside into the hallway.

“Yeah?”

“Are you happy here?”

She nodded a bit uncertainly. “Of course. Why do you ask?”

Wesley shook his head. “It’s not important. I just—wondered. That’s all. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay. Good night.”

Was he asking for too much? All he’d ever wanted was work that he could do and do well—certainly no more than that. He picked up the pictures that Faith had brought with her. The amulet had been blackened by whatever power had burned Spike up from the inside, and if there had ever been any identifying features, they were gone now.

He frowned, suddenly recalling a snippet of conversation. The amulet was supposed to purify, at least according to what Lilah had told Angel, and they had all assumed she had been speaking the truth. The light had killed the Turok Han in the Hellmouth, and had incinerated Spike, presumably because he was a vampire.

But what if that hadn’t been its main purpose? Everyone had assumed that Angel was the souled vampire at the center of the prophecies, and if the senior partners at Wolfram &amp; Hart had wanted to be certain that the end came in their time, so that they could best capitalize on it—

“Search amulets that capture souls,” Wesley said to the template sitting in front of him. Spike’s soul had presumably been returned to him untainted, perhaps because of how he’d been released. There was now no way to determine if Angel would have suffered the same fate if he had worn it as originally intended.

And if he had—well, Spike may have saved the world in more ways than one, but that still begged the question of what the Senior Partners were planning.


	4. Chapter 4

Wesley had been as good as his word; Faith smiled as she saw the group of vampires just ahead. She had no idea how he’d known that there would be a nest in the area, but it didn’t really matter. As long as she got some action tonight, she’d be happy.

Speaking of action…Faith resolutely shoved that thought to the back of her mind. Wesley was definitely out of bounds. He’d been her Watcher, and now she was trying to recruit him for the same position again. She’d just been through that with Wood, and she didn’t need a replacement.

No matter how good the sex might be, it wasn’t worth that hassle.

Not that Wesley would end up being another Wood. He definitely wasn’t overprotective—Wesley had been the mastermind behind the plan that had her getting drained by Angelus, and had nearly caused her to OD on Orpheus. And there was no way Robin would have sent her out on her own to kill a bunch of vampires.

Faith gripped her stake a little more tightly and began running towards the group, moving as silently as possible. They turned just as she reached them, but one was already dust in the wind at that point. The remaining four didn’t waste any time, jumping on her in a group. Faith was in her element, throwing wild punches and kicks.

She got one of them through the heart with a lucky strike, considering that she had another hanging off of her arm. Throwing an elbow to the throat of the one holding her, she felt it release her arm, and she turned on her heel to put a stake through that one as well.

The fourth was already running by the time she turned her attention to it, and Faith began the chase, feeling the adrenalin surge. She had nearly caught up, close enough to tackle the vampire, when she felt fire down her back.

Stumbling a little, Faith managed to turn in time to dodge the next swipe of claws. “What the—”

The demon was big and ugly, and it had a splash of red across its face. What held her attention, however, were the claws—with her blood on them. “What? You want a piece of the action, too?”

It didn’t reply, which she found rather disappointing. She kind of enjoyed trading barbs. On the other hand, Faith could feel the blood dripping down her back, and she knew that she needed to kill it and kill it quick if she wanted to make it out of this fight alive.

The only problem was that she had only a stake on her, and with a six-foot-plus demon, she would have preferred something like a sword. Or an ax.

Ignoring the pain radiating down her back, into her arms and legs, Faith delivered a heavy boot to its temple. Other than a grunt, there was no reaction, and it swiped at her again. She ducked, turning the move into a leg sweep. This time the connection did its job, and the demon crashed to the ground.

Moving as quickly as she could with her injuries, she stomped on its neck. That should have been enough to take care of it, but instead it grabbed her ankle and twisted. Faith hit the ground on her sore back, and she couldn’t stifle the cry of pain.

She swore she heard it laugh, and Faith knew she was in trouble. If she didn’t kill it soon, she’d be the one lying dead on the sidewalk, and she’d come too far for that.

When the demon rose, she flipped herself to her feet, feeling the wounds in her back tear further. A last, desperate maneuver had her stake sinking into its throat, and she gave the wood a vicious twist.

The demon collapsed, and Faith fell to her knees, gasping in pain. There was no way she was going to make it back to the bike that Wesley had lent her, and even if she managed it, she didn’t think she’d be able to drive it back to his apartment.

Pulling out her cell phone, she searched the address book for Wesley’s number, praying that she had saved it in the memory. Breathing a sigh of relief when she saw it, she hit the send button, pushing herself back into the shadows.

Faith just hoped that he got there fast.

~~~~~

Wesley hadn’t been prepared for the sheer panic he felt at Faith’s phone call. He’d sent her in the direction of a nest he knew about, but he had been certain that she’d easily be able to handle their numbers. From what she’d said, however, it hadn’t been the vampires that had presented the problem, but a demon.

He pulled his SUV over to the side of the road and loosened his semiautomatic in its holster. “Faith?”

“Wes?”

Her voice was weaker than he would have liked to hear. “Where are you?”

She came stumbling out of the shadows, and Wesley caught her as she fell. “What happened?”

“Some kind of demon.” She motioned behind her. “The body is back there.”

“Can you hang on? I want to see what it is.”

She nodded, and Wesley pulled his gun out and handed it to her. “Here.”

Faith released the safety and nodded. “Go.”

Wesley moved quickly, judging that he needed to get her back to safety soon judging by her pallor. The demon wasn’t immediately recognizable, but he got a good enough look that he’d be able to identify it later.

He hurried back to Faith’s side, putting one arm around her in support. Wesley heard her gasp in pain, and he pulled away slightly. “What—”

“My back. It got me.”

Adjusting his grip so that his arm hit a little lower, Wesley helped her back to the vehicle. “Are you alright?”

“Does it fucking look like I’m alright?” Faith hissed through clenched teeth.

Wesley made sure she was safely in the car before going around to the driver’s side. “What happened?”

“I killed three vamps and got jumped by that thing,” she replied, clearly trying to keep her cool in spite of the pain. “It came out of nowhere.”

He nodded, keeping his focus on the road. “I don’t know whether it was poisonous or not. I’ll check once we get back to the apartment and get you cleaned up.”

“That would be good,” she said. “Because if I made it out of the Hellmouth only to get killed by some poisonous demon, I won’t be happy.”

“That would make two of us,” Wesley replied, keeping his tone light. He’d felt the blood soaking her back, and it took every bit of self-control he had not to reveal his concern.

She was his responsibility; no matter what had transpired between them, that hadn’t changed. At least, he still felt he was under some obligation.

When they reached his apartment building, Wesley had to help her out of the car. She was moving stiffly, and he could see the tight rein she was keeping on the pain. “Faith—”

“Before you ask, I can walk,” she said. “It’s not like you’ve got stairs I have to navigate.”

Wesley bit back the ready argument and nodded, although he kept an arm around her in support. She was sagging by the time they reached his door, and he ended up half-carrying her to the couch. “You’d best lay on your stomach,” he advised. “I’ll grab the first aid kit.”

Faith was barely conscious by the time he returned, and Wesley winced when he saw the rents in her shirt. “I’m going to have to remove your shirt,” he said quietly.

Her response came out in a grunt. “Whatever.”

Trying to be as gentle as possible, Wesley finished ripping her thin t-shirt down the back, pushing the cloth to either side. Although the wounds were ghastly, he had enough experience to know that she didn’t need to go to the hospital with her Slayer healing.

Although if she’d been anyone else, the stitches would have numbered in the dozens.

Wesley focused on the task at hand—cleaning and disinfecting the three long lacerations, and then taping them shut with butterfly bandages. He could already see them healing by the time he’d finished. Once that was done, he carefully removed her boots and spread the throw blanket from the back of his couch over her still form.

His hand hovered above her cheek as he watched her sleep. She looked so innocent, so young, in this pose. Seeing her like this, it was hard to remember why he’d once feared her—but easy to fear _for_ her.

Pulling his hand back suddenly, as though he’d been burnt, Wesley reminded himself that he had a job to do, and that it had nothing to do with getting attached to this particular Slayer. They were comrades, nothing more.

It was all they would ever be, and all he could possibly give—after all, he’d promised himself that he’d never use her again.

Wesley grabbed several books from his shelves and retreated into his bedroom, determined to find out what kind of demon had attacked Faith. It was imperative that he find out whether she was in any further danger from possible poisoning.

~~~~~

Faith woke slowly, moving stiffly. For a moment, she couldn’t remember where she was—laying facedown on someone’s couch, her shirt half off, her boots placed neatly on the floor by the coffee table.

The memories of the night before returned slowly—the demon attack, calling Wesley, him showing up and getting her to safety. That’s when things got a little fuzzy, but she figured he was the one responsible for where she was and how she was dressed, just by process of elimination.

Strange, but he hadn’t even tried to cop a feel. Faith would have remembered that.

She rolled over slowly, careful of her back. The skin itched, and felt hot and tight, but her legs were steady once she managed to stand. Faith knew she’d be moving a little slower for a while, but it didn’t look like she was going to die any time soon.

That was a relief.

Faith shook off the last remaining shreds of her shirt and wrapped the blanket around her more securely. She needed a shower badly; the waistband of her jeans was stiff with dried blood, and she could feel the material chafe against her skin.

Wesley’s bedroom door was closed, and Faith paused, staring at the wood. Her clean clothing was in her single suitcase, and she would probably be better off having something to change into. And yet, she knew what it was to have trouble sleeping, and she’d gotten the impression that he’d been having that problem recently.

Slipping into the bathroom, she dropped the blanket onto the floor and slowly removed her jeans, letting those fall as well.

Faith let out a laugh as she stepped into the shower and started the water; she’d been here often enough, it was beginning to feel like home—like it was their apartment, which scared her in a way. She honestly hadn’t felt like this with Wood; they had cohabitated, but it had never seemed as though they each had an equal share.

She raised her face to the water, noting that Wesley had repaired his tile at some point. Faith wondered how he had explained that to his apartment manager—or if he had; she likely owed him some money for that, and with what the Council was currently paying her, she could repay him.

Faith knew that the water had loosened the strips of tape on her back, and the towel did the rest of the work. She dried off, careful to avoid aggravating her wounds, and grabbed the robe Wesley had left hanging up behind the door.

And came face to face with the man when she opened it.

They stared at each other for a second, and Faith felt a spark of connection. “Hey. I hope you don’t mind.” She gestured to the robe.

Wesley shook his head silently. “Not at all. Your suitcase is in my room.”

“Yeah, that’s why.”

“Would you like me to look at your back?”

Faith hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. Did you find out what it was that attacked me?”

Wesley looked a little sheepish. “No, I’m sorry. I fell asleep.”

“It happens to the best of us.” She moved towards his bedroom. “I’ll just put something on.”

“I’ll join you in the living room.”

“I left my stuff in there,” Faith told him. “Sorry.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Faith slipped inside his bedroom and stroked the fabric of his robe before slipping it off. She let it fall to the floor and wished that the past did not always weigh so heavily on her.

~~~~~

Seeing Faith in his robe had done something to him, something to his gut. His stomach had flipped, and the attraction had been so strong that he’d had trouble controlling himself.

What he’d wanted was to shove her up against the wall, to feel her still-damp skin against his, her mouth against his. The sheer physical need had almost paralyzed him. Wesley thanked his lucky stars that he’d been able to resist the urge.

Her injuries had healed enough so that Wesley declared her fit, although not for serious action, and he suggested that they grab breakfast on the way to the office.

Wesley had no idea what to say to her, or what he was supposed to do with her for the rest of the afternoon. He needed to do more research on the amulet, and the spell to locate the Slayers, not to mention finding out what demon had attacked Faith.

“What would you like to do today?” he asked finally, once they reached the offices. “I should really research.”

“Yeah. You find anything on that amulet?” Faith asked.

He nodded, on firmer ground. “It’s a soul-catcher. The soul will generally only be released when the amulet arrives at a particular location, but it can be disgorged before then. I’d like to talk to Willow to find out exactly what occurred when she received it.”

“I can give you her phone number if you want.” Faith glanced over at him as the elevator doors closed behind her. “I’ve got some errands to run if you don’t mind.”

“Angel probably has a car you can borrow, since we haven’t retrieved the bike yet,” Wesley offered. “Assuming that you have a license.”

“Standard issue with new identities these days,” Faith replied. “Should I check with him?”

Wesley smiled grimly. “Why bother him right now? He seemed to be rather busy the other day.”

Faith laughed. “He did.”

He met her eyes. “Be careful today, Faith. The demon attack might have been one of opportunity, but I don’t like to trust to coincidence.”

She nodded. “Yeah, sure thing.” An odd expression crossed her face, and she rose on tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the lips. “Thanks. For showing up last night.”

The doors opened, and Faith gave him a gentle shove out of the elevator. “I’ll see you later.”

Wesley touched his lips reflexively. “I suppose so.”


	5. Chapter 5

Angel blew out a breath, knowing that Wesley was getting close to discovering his secret; he was well aware that the ex-Watcher had asked Gunn to have a private dinner with him and Faith outside the law firm.

If they found out—Angel honestly wasn’t certain what he would do. He knew that he’d probably lose his friends’ trust, and he might lose their support. It was entirely possible that they would leave him to his own devices.

Angel stared down at Cordelia’s still form. Lilah had been able to promise protection for Connor, and the best medical treatment money could buy, but not a cure.

Wolfram &amp; Hart couldn’t cure Cordy’s mysterious ailment, or his own broken heart.

Life didn’t make much sense without Cordy or Connor in it, and now he’d lost them both.

“I’m lost without you, Cordelia,” he murmured. “Come back to me.”

He turned to see Fred standing in the doorway. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I was just leaving,” Angel replied.

“I came to see you, actually.” Fred took a deep breath. “Have you talked to Wesley lately?”

Angel shook his head. “No, not since he and Faith were in my office. Is there something I should know?”

Fred shook her head, looking worried. “No, I don’t think so. I just—I thought I’d say hi, since I was down here. I wanted to check with the doctors on Cordelia’s progress.”

“There hasn’t been any,” he said bitterly.

Fred gave him a sympathetic smile. “You just need to give it time, Angel. Cordy’s a fighter.”

Angel nodded, trying to muster some optimism. “She is.”

Fred looked as though she didn’t know what to say. “Do you think Faith is going to ask Wesley to work for the Council?”

“I don’t know.” Actually, Angel had a pretty good idea that she would. From what he’d heard, the Council needed every Watcher they could get, and Wesley was not only a trained Watcher, but descended from a long line of Watchers. In a way, the idea that Wesley might leave Wolfram &amp; Hart was something of a relief. It had been difficult to keep up the pretense that everything was fine, especially in front of the ex-Watcher. Fred and Gunn had been too caught up in their newfound abilities and resources to notice any differences.

Wesley was different; he’d been the one to kidnap Connor, and he was the one they’d entrusted with making the hard decisions. Even after Angel had tried to kill him, Wes had saved his life—metaphorically speaking.

What he felt for the man was a complicated mixture of gratitude and resentment, and that was unlikely to change.

It would undoubtedly be easier if Wesley were gone, doing good somewhere else.

“You’re going to have to get rid of him.”

The familiar voice greeted him as soon as he walked into his office. “What are you doing here, Lilah?”

“I’m here to give you a friendly warning.” She sat on one of the couches, her legs crossed, one arm stretched out along the back. “Wesley is getting too close to information that the Senior Partners don’t want him to have.”

Angel shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

“If Wesley doesn’t go, the deal is off,” Lilah explained. “All those memories we gave Connor? Gone in an instant. That’s sure to send him off the deep end.”

He swallowed. “I’m not going to hurt him.”

“I said that you had to get rid of him; I didn’t say you had to kill him.” Lilah raised an eyebrow. “Interesting that your mind went right to murder.”

Angel couldn’t help the snarl that escaped his lips. “Shut up.”

“You have 48 hours.” She rose from her seat on the couch. “If Wesley isn’t out of Wolfram and Hart by then, the deal is off, and Connor’s memories all come back.”

She was gone in the next moment, so quickly that Angel wasn’t sure how she’d managed it; he hadn’t thought that she was a ghost and capable of disappearing like that.

He sat down heavily next to the spot Lilah had just occupied. Although he’d just been thinking that it would be easier if Wesley were gone, Angel hadn’t wanted to tell him to leave. What he wanted was for Wesley to make the decision on his own—that way he didn’t have to deal with the guilt.

In the end, however, Angel knew that he didn’t have a choice. Wesley would be able to find work with the Council, and he’d be out of the law firm.

It was for the best, and Wesley would understand.

Eventually.

~~~~~

Wesley dialed Willow’s number, hoping that the early hour would guarantee that he’d catch her at home.

“Hello?” The British accent immediately indicated that he wasn’t speaking to Willow.

“This is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce,” he said. “May I speak with Willow?”

There was a pause. “_The_ Wesley?”

He had no idea how to take that question. “Excuse me?”

“Never mind. I just—we shared some classes at the Academy.”

Wesley suddenly remembered that Faith had mentioned a Zoë in her stories about Rio, and he realized that she must have been talking about Zoë Michelson. “Ah. Of course. Zoë.”

She laughed. “I didn’t think you’d remember.”

Wesley didn’t think it would be possible to forget, considering that she’d shown him up quite badly in one of his classes. When his father had heard about it later, he’d been subjected to an hour-long lecture on his faults, how he didn’t measure up, and how if he didn’t motivate himself, he’d fail out.

He hadn’t failed out—at least not then—but he still remembered the lecture vividly. “How could I forget?” Wesley made certain to inject a certain amount of humor into his voice. “Is Willow there?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. Let me get her.”

Wesley bit back a sigh; he could have done without a reminder of that time in his life. Not even knowing that he had eventually become Head Boy and graduated at the top of his class could remove the sting of what had come after.

“Wes?” Willow’s voice was unmistakable. “What can I do for you?”

“I need to know exactly what happened when you received the amulet,” Wesley replied without preamble. “Faith has asked me to look into it since we have the resources of Wolfram and Hart at our disposal, and—”

“Right.” She cut him off, getting right down to business as well. “I figured she’d ask you if Angel wasn’t much help.”

“He doesn’t know much about it,” Wesley said, defending the vampire.

She snorted. “He didn’t ask the right questions, then. But to answer your question, not much happened. I opened the envelope, I cut my finger on one of the loose prongs, and I dropped it on the floor.”

Wesley’s attention was caught. “Did you get any blood on the stone?”

He could hear her pause to think about his question. “I don’t remember. I suppose I could have since my finger definitely bled.”

“That would be the difference,” Wesley murmured.

“What?”

He cleared his throat. “Normally, a soul catcher will only release its occupant when triggered by a particular location, or possibly a ritual. It is my belief that the amulet may have been tied to Wolfram and Hart, or another place, but your blood inadvertently changed that.”

“Oh. Wow.” There was a long silence. “So, if I hadn’t cut myself, Spike would still be in the amulet?”

“It’s impossible to tell,” Wesley replied. “Perhaps the Senior Partners had made arrangements to get the stone back here, but those arrangements were interrupted, or maybe it no longer mattered since Angel wasn’t the one the stone captured.”

“I thought that Spike had gotten lucky, but I don’t think I realized how lucky,” Willow said reflectively. “Huh. That begs the question of what might have happened had Angel worn it, though.”

“A possibility I would rather not discuss at present,” Wesley replied. He hoped she got his message that it wasn’t quite safe to talk while he was still at the law firm. Whether she did nor not, Willow didn’t make any arguments.

“Tell Faith I said hello,” was all she said. “And I’ll pass the news along to Giles. He’s going to want to know about this.”

Wesley bade her farewell and hung up the phone. His suspicions that the amulet had been meant for Angel had not necessarily been confirmed, but he thought it likely at this point. The fact that Willow’s blood had released Spike indicated that it was a soul catcher, and the Senior Partners would have had no reason to suspect that Spike would be the one wearing it in the final battle.

The question now was what he ought to tell Angel—if anything.

~~~~~

Faith hadn’t been lying when she’d told Wesley that she’d wanted to run a few errands. Her wardrobe had taken a serious hit in Rio, and last night certainly hadn’t helped; if she wanted to have more than a couple changes of clothing, Faith needed to do some shopping.

Once Giles had been able to get the Council’s assets released to him, he’d made sure that she and Buffy had a regular income. It wasn’t a lot of money—Faith certainly wasn’t going to get rich off of it—but it was enough for her needs.

Right now, her needs included a couple pairs of jeans and some new t-shirts and tank tops, plus a couple of bras. That damn demon last night had ruined her last decent one.

Her cell phone rang, and Faith flipped it open. “Yeah?”

“Faith? We have a situation.”

Giles’ serious tone had her sighing. “When don’t we have a situation?”

“This is a little different,” he replied. “We’ve received word of a Slayer in Los Angeles.”

“The coven?”

“Yes. There’s more.”

“There always is.”

“She’s in a psychiatric facility.”

Faith blinked. She supposed she should have expected something like that to happen, but it still took her by surprise for some reason. “Okay. What do you want me to do about it? If she’s crazy—”

“The coven thinks that they can rehabilitate her,” Giles said. “But to do that—”

“You need to get her to England.” Faith sighed. “Can you email the details? I can talk to Wesley. Maybe we can figure something out.”

“She’s going to need to be accompanied back to England,” Giles responded. “I’m sending several Slayers your way. I’ll have Dawn charter a flight when the time comes.”

Faith frowned. “Wait. Why can’t I go with her?”

“I need you to stay in L.A. You and Wesley.”

“What happened to recruiting him?” Faith asked. “I already told him that the Council wants him on board, Giles. I don’t want to take that back.”

He cleared his throat. “You won’t have to. I simply need both of you there. I have it on good authority that you’re going to be needed.”

“The coven again?”

“The bowl, rather.” Giles paused. “Miriam has described it as being like a game of chess. Right now, we are ensuring that all of our pieces are in place. Eventually, the time will come when those pieces will come into play.”

Faith snorted. “That makes me feel good.”

“We are all pawns in this, Faith,” Giles said softly. “We seem to be hurtling towards a confrontation of some sort, but what that might be is impossible to see at the moment.”

She closed her eyes, knowing even now that she had a choice. Buffy had always seemed to think that her Calling was a duty that couldn’t be passed up; Faith knew better. She’d walked away once before, and she could do it again. Staying was a choice, as much as going would be.

She’d learned that when she had turned herself into the cops. Although it hadn’t appeared as though she’d had many choices in prison, Faith had known better.

Wesley had known better, too; after all, he’d been there when she’d busted out.

“Send me the details, and we’ll manage it,” she promised. “Even if we have to bust her out.”

“Thank you. Have Wesley call me as soon as he can. Willow phoned earlier and said he had information on the amulet.”

“Will do.” She debated telling him about the demon attack of the night before, but decided that it would only burden him unnecessarily. Faith had been attacked by demons before. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Keep me apprised,” he ordered.

Faith hung up the phone and gave some thought to continuing her shopping trip; she could use a spare pair of boots. While she probably ought to get back to the law offices, she was enjoying the time away too much to hurry back.

Deciding that Giles’ news could wait at least until she’d found new footwear, Faith entered the next shop.

After all, there was nothing like a pair of steel-toed boots to kick the shit out of demons.

~~~~~

Gunn looked over the contract and started marking passages with a red pen. There were several that had language that didn’t suit the purposes for which the contracts had been drafted. He tossed the document into the out-box for his secretary to work on later.

He was reaching for the last in the pile when his phone rang. Gunn gave some thought to ignoring the call, but decided that there was at least a chance that there was a fire to be put out. He had to admit that there were days when he missed being in the middle of things at the Hyperion.

“This is Charles Gunn.”

“There’s a call for you on line three,” his secretary said.

“Thanks.” Gunn punched the button. “Hello?”

“You have a problem,” the voice on the other end of the line said.

He frowned, unable to recognize the voice. “Who’s speaking?”

“That’s not important. What you need to know is that your firm has put a price on that Slayer’s head.”

“Whose head? Faith’s?”

“She’ll be dead before the week’s out.”

The dial tone sounded, and Gunn hung up the phone slowly. He had no idea what he should do about the information, having no idea _who_ was actually responsible for either the hit or the call. “Shit,” he muttered resentfully, picking up the phone again and dialing Angel’s extension.

“What?” Angel barked on the other end.

He cleared his throat. “We’ve got a problem. I just got a call saying that someone put a hit out on Faith.”

“Do you think it’s true?” Angel asked.

“How the hell should I know?” Gunn demanded. “I don’t know who called, but they sounded serious. They seemed to think that Faith would be dead by the end of the week if we didn’t do something about it.”

“And what are we supposed to do, if we don’t know who hired the hit?” Angel sounded disgruntled and annoyed. “Look, we’ve got another problem.”

Gunn wasn’t surprised. “What next?”

“I got orders from Lilah to let Wesley go.”

He leaned back in his chair, swallowing hard. He and Wes weren’t as close as they had been once, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care about the other man. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t have a choice. She gave me 48 hours to make a decision.”

“Sounds like it’s already made.”

“I’ve got some time.”

“When are you going to tell him?”

“When I have to.”

Gunn realized that Angel was passing along the information because the vampire wanted him to warn the other man. “Yeah. I get that.”

“I’ll look into the situation with Faith,” Angel promised. “You’ll take care of the other?”

“Sure.” When he hung up the phone, Gunn put his head in his hands, wondering what they had all gotten themselves into by coming to this place.

~~~~~

Wesley stood at the doorway of the lab, watching as Fred moved through the room, clipboard in hand, her assistants buzzing about her. She was in charge of research and development, and Wesley had never been quite sure what went on there.

He supposed that the others could probably say the same for him; they were all so isolated these days.

“Wesley!” Fred finally caught sight of him standing there. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”

“There’s no hurry,” he replied. Really, there wasn’t. Knox seemed to be glued to her side, and he had no desire to be around the two of them.

She called out a set of instructions to one of her assistants and disposed of Knox with a quiet command, then came over to meet Wesley. “Hey, sorry about that.”

“I’m not in a hurry,” he replied. “I wanted to ask you what you’d done with Faith’s blood sample.”

She frowned. “I don’t know. I imagine it’s in storage.”

“I’d like to get it from you if I could,” Wesley said pleasantly.

“Is there a problem?”

“Only that if you’re done with it, I’d like to make sure that it’s been destroyed.” Wesley lowered his voice. “It’s imperative that it not fall into the wrong hands, Fred. Blood can be a powerful tool, or a weapon, in a number of different spells.”

She looked alarmed, apparently unaware of that possibility. “Oh. I’ll get it for you.”

Wesley waited by the door, hands in his pockets. He found himself thinking about Faith, and what she was doing; oddly enough, it was easier to be with her than it was to be here, near the woman he loved.

Or was she the woman he _had_ loved once upon a time? Had it all changed when they came here, or had he simply given up? That wasn’t to say that it wasn’t difficult to see her with Knox, perhaps just as hard as it had been to see her with Gunn, but everything was different now.

“Wes?” Fred had an alarmed expression on her face as she approached him. “It’s not there.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not there,” she repeated. “I’m sorry.”

Wesley felt his stomach sink. “Where could it be, Fred?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. It’s not there, and there’s no record of anyone checking it out.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Shit. This isn’t good.”

“Maybe it’ll be okay?” she asked hesitantly. “I’ll check with the lab techs. One of them might have destroyed it because we were done with the tests.”

Wesley took a deep breath. “Find out, Fred. We have to find out where it is, and who has it.”

She nodded, and he strode out of the lab, feeling a sense of impending doom. He was beginning to regret that he’d ever allowed her to give a blood sample.

“Wesley.” Gunn suddenly popped up in front of him. “We have to talk.”

“I don’t have time right now,” Wesley replied. “We have a situation.”

“We have more than that,” Gunn said. “Let’s get some air.”

The sense that the worst was coming only intensified.


	6. Chapter 6

Wesley blinked. “What?”

“Angel’s been ordered to fire you. Lilah showed up and gave him 48 hours.”

“Or what?”

Gunn frowned. “Huh?”

Wesley raised an eyebrow. “What are the consequences if he does not do as she asked? If we’re truly in control here, then there ought to be nothing she could threaten him with that would cause him to fire one of his oldest friends.” He spoke precisely, anger coloring his words.

Wesley was no longer sure that they in control; clearly, whatever the Senior Partners had on Angel was big, big enough to cause him to chase Wesley off without a fight.

And Angel, just as clearly, didn’t want to face the pointed questions that he knew Wesley would ask.

Gunn shook his head. “I don’t know. Angel didn’t tell me that.”

“And why would he?” Wesley was growing a little tired of Gunn’s insistence on turning a blind eye to things that were obviously going wrong. “We’re getting close to information that the Senior Partners clearly don’t want us to have.”

His friend took a deep breath. “There’s more, Wes.”

“Oh? And what could that be?”

“I got a call today from someone I didn’t know, telling me that there’s been a hit placed on Faith,” Gunn said softly.

Wesley swallowed hard. He’d been afraid that the demon attack from the night before wasn’t just a crime of opportunity but was a staged hit. “I see.”

“Get out of here, Wes,” Gunn said in a low voice. “Take Faith and get out. This place is no good.”

“The same advice should be good for you, too.”

“If I leave, I might lose what I have,” he replied. “I can’t risk it, Wes.”

“You could go back to who you were,” Wesley argued. “There was nothing wrong with the man I knew a year or two ago.”

Gunn shook his head. “That man is gone. I’m not going to risk it.”

Wesley ran a hand over his face, thinking quickly. He had very little time, and he knew that he’d be better off leaving on his own terms, rather than waiting to be escorted out. “Thanks for the advance notice, Charles.”

“Be careful, Wes. If you need anything—”

“I’ll be sure to call.” He didn’t mean it, of course. At this point, he didn’t think he could trust anyone at the firm.

His mind was racing as he headed back to his office. Wesley had every intention of taking whatever he could with him when he left—anything that he thought might be helpful. Wolfram &amp; Hart might not owe him anything per se, but the company owed something to the forces of good they’d so often thwarted.

“Wes, what’s up?” Faith asked as he entered his office and shut the door behind him.

He shook his head. “Not now.”

She frowned. “Is there something I can do?”

Her tone was cautious, and Wesley appreciated that. “This way.”

She followed him without asking any other questions, her dark eyes showing concern. Wesley opened the vault and began examining the shelves. He hadn’t had time to investigate all of the artifacts that were in there, but there were certain things that he knew could be of help.

Inside the vault, Wesley pulled Faith into an embrace. She stiffened, but he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Do you have a bag?”

She relaxed and whispered back, “Yeah. Why?”

“Grab it.”

She did as he asked, and Wesley began to pull things off the shelves. There were two prophecies contained in the vault that he knew he had to take with him, along with several magical artifacts that he thought might be helpful in the long run.

When Faith returned with her bag, he smiled, realizing that it was big enough to hold pretty much everything he wanted to carry with them. Taking it out of her hands, Wesley began packing it carefully, sending Faith back out into his office for one of the templates, and fitting that in with the rest of it. He had no idea of the book would work outside the law offices, but it was worth a shot, and it would go a long way to filling in the gaps in his library.

“Wes? What—”

He shook his head, and she remained silent. Wesley packed quickly and efficiently, ensuring that anything fragile was protected from unexpected bumps, although he planned on being very careful.

“Have you eaten yet?” he asked pleasantly as he finished.

Faith shook her head. “No. I could stand to get something.”

“Good. We’ll pick something up on the way to my apartment. I hope you don’t mind if we leave a little early today. There are a few errands I need to run.”

“Works for me.”

Wesley knew that she was intensely curious, but he had no intention of indulging that curiosity until they were out of the building. Handing her the bag, he mouthed, “Be careful,” and she nodded, showing that she understood.

He was worried that they would be stopped on their way out of the building, that someone would be notified that he was taking artifacts out that he was not planning to return. Wesley was concerned that Angel would have already locked him out, and that the guards would search them on their way out the doors.

Their leaving was almost anti-climactic, however. There was no fanfare, no goodbyes. Although Wesley knew he wouldn’t return, he also knew that he couldn’t afford to give that fact away.

By the time they had reached his SUV and were out of the garage, he’d allowed himself to relax. “What was that all about?” Faith demanded.

“I’ve been fired. Again.” Humor crept into his voice; this leave-taking was very different than his firing from the Council—or the last time Angel had fired him for that matter.

Faith’s eyes widened. “What?”

He was prevented from answering her question when his cell phone rang. The phone was his, not the law firm’s, so he didn’t have to worry about losing his means of communication. The number was one he immediately recognized, and Wesley raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t expected Angel to call him so soon—or at all.

“Wesley speaking.”

“You’re out already?”

“I thought it was for the best,” he replied evenly. “You’ll have my resignation tomorrow.”

Angel was quiet for a moment. “I see. I’ve put the Hyperion in your name, and it’s paid off. The electricity and water have been turned on, and are paid up for the next six months.”

Wesley found himself at a loss for words. “Why?”

“I owe you that much, at least,” Angel replied. “You’ll need headquarters for whatever you decide to do, and it’s not being used.”

“Thank you.” It was the only thing he knew to say under the circumstances.

Angel cleared his throat. “Can I talk to Faith?”

Wesley passed the phone to her. He couldn’t hear Angel’s side of the conversation, but he caught the gist from hers. “Yeah?”

She was quiet for a moment before demanding to know what was going on. What Wesley presumed was Angel’s explanation for recent events was frequently interrupted by Faith’s commentary, including incredulous-sounding snorts and exclamations of disbelief. She finally fell silent, and Wesley could only assume that Angel had been able to get through, or that he had said something to convince her of the rightness of his cause.

“Yeah, okay,” Faith finally said. “I’ll see you around?”

She hung up a moment later, and Wesley put the phone back in his pocket. “Did Angel explain?”

“Not everything,” she replied. “He didn’t tell me what made him cave so quickly, but I figure it has something to do with that kid of his.”

Wesley nodded. “I hadn’t thought of that, but I think you might be right.”

“What are we going to do?” His sharp look called for explanation, and she clarified, “I mean about Angel. I told you that the Council wanted you on board. That hasn’t changed.”

“I don’t know that we can do anything,” Wesley admitted with regret. “He can’t go against the Senior Partners unless he wants to risk whatever they’ve threatened him with coming to pass. I suppose we ought to contact Giles and let him know what’s occurred.” He winced, remembering what he’d discovered before it all blew up in his face. “And the blood sample you provided has disappeared.”

“What does that mean?” Faith asked.

Wesley shook his head. “It’s hard to tell. Oh, and there’s a price on your head.”

“Angel already told me.” Faith gave him a wry look. “It’s hunting season on Slayers.”

He sighed. “Shall we go by the hotel first?”

“Why not?” she asked, shrugging. “Angel was right about one thing: we’re going to need the space.”

Wesley raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

She smiled smugly. “You’ve got your first assignment from the Council.”

~~~~~

They entered the Hyperion together, and Wesley reached for the light switch. The overhead lights put the markings on the floor and the dust that covered everything in stark relief. “This could use some cleaning up,” Faith commented.

“I believe they tried to get the marks off the floor, but there was nothing that could be done about it,” he replied. “Did Giles really say that he wanted us to open a school here?”

“He wants us both here, and he’s sending Slayers, so I’m going to guess, yes.” Faith wandered up to the front counter, running her hand along the top and wiping the dust on the seat of her pants. “Is that a problem?”

“No, it shouldn’t be.” Wesley’s expression was wry. “I am a Watcher, after all. I suppose you can move in here.”

“Are you going to?”

“I suppose I should.” He had a strange look on his face. “It would make sense, if…” Wesley trailed off, then headed towards the stairs. “We’d better see what kind of shape the rooms are in.”

Faith followed at a slower pace, not minding the view from behind in the least.

“How many Slayers do you think Giles will send?” he asked.

“No clue.” Faith stuck her hands in her pockets, watching as he opened the door to one of the rooms. “I guess it will depend on how many he wants us to keep around, and how many are needed to get the crazy Slayer back to England.”

“What crazy Slayer?” he asked, turning to her.

Faith frowned. “I didn’t tell you about that?”

“We haven’t had much time to talk,” he pointed out. “What did Giles say about her?”

“She’s in a mental institution, but I don’t know more than that.”

“How are we getting her out?”

“That’s part of what I don’t know.” Faith shrugged. “Why worry about it? I got out of jail, and we worked it out.”

Wesley nodded, his eyes going very far away. “Yes, that’s true.”

Faith followed him as he wandered down the hallway again, opening doors and taking stock of the rooms. His silence made her wonder what he was thinking, and the aimless sort of way that he was walking made her think that his head wasn’t in a pleasant place.

When he stopped, looking into one room in particular, Faith stopped behind him. “Wes?”

“Angel’s room,” he explained absently. “I suppose you could take it.”

“What about you? You’re the Watcher.”

He shook his head slowly. “I don’t know.”

His eyes were lost, she realized. Everything had changed in the space of a few hours, and they both had more issues to deal with than any two people should. Wesley’s hand gripped the doorjamb, and she saw his knuckles whiten, as though he was trying to anchor himself.

Faith wanted to give him something; she still remembered the gentleness of his touch after she’d been bloodied and battered by Angelus and the Beast the previous year. Faith moved closer, touching his cheek and turning his head towards hers.

“Faith—”

His voice was husky, and she didn’t wait for his permission to capture his lips with hers. It wasn’t exactly gentle; Faith didn’t know much about gentle, but she wanted to give him something to hang onto, something that felt real.

He stiffened at first, and Faith pulled back, ready to explain away her actions. In the next moment, he pulled her close, deepening the kiss. Faith shoved him against the doorjamb, and he pushed back, so that they both stumbled into the room.

She pulled his shirt up, feeling warm skin against her palms. His fingers tangled in her hair, and his mouth was hungry on her lips, her neck, her collarbone.

They collapsed in a heap on Angel’s bed, their clothing coming off a piece at a time. Faith clutched him to her, needing the heat, the motion, the thrill that came from a good, hard ride.

She straddled him, his fingers digging into her hips, and Faith met his eyes for the first time—and faltered.

The first time with Wood had been casual—she’d meant it to be. It had been sex and nothing else, until later, when he’d insisted that it was more, and that it could be more. She’d allowed herself to believe him, to be persuaded to give it a try.

Wesley was different. He had been her Watcher; she had tortured him. Faith had watched the pain and fear blossom in his eyes, and she had been the cause of it. In a way, what had happened between them—the masks that had been stripped away—had made it more intimate than what they were doing now.

There was a bond between them that couldn’t be denied. Sex was just another facet of their relationship, but Faith was beginning to realize that they would never be rid of one another.

It was his expression, the light in his eyes. He was _with_ her, staring at her. The intensity of his gaze was what caused her to lose the rhythm for just a moment, because it was suddenly more than just sex.

She hadn’t meant for that to happen.

His strong hands lifted her, his narrow hips moving at a new pace, slower this time. Faith allowed her hands to move from the mattress on either side of his head to his shoulders. She had no idea what this meant, but that was no reason to stop now.

When they had climaxed, and she lay in a sweaty heap on top of him, Faith realized that Wesley was actually pretty good in bed. Surprisingly good, in fact. That alone probably would have kept her coming back for more, but there was more than that.

His arms tightened around her, and they were still, the silence hanging around them. Faith finally disengaged, rolling off to one side, lying next to him. She could smell sweat and sex and the aftershave he’d used that day.

“So, shall I take Angel’s room, or would you prefer it?”

Faith snorted. Wesley sounded as though he might have been asking the question over tea and crumpets, rather than rumpled sheets. “Doesn’t matter to me. We’ll probably both end up here on a fairly regular basis.”

She glanced over at him, and he rolled his head to meet her eyes. “Quite possibly,” he admitted. Hesitating briefly, Wesley began, “Do you think—”

They were interrupted by the ringing of a phone, and Faith rolled out of bed reluctantly, searching for her discarded pants—and the cell phone in the pocket—without bothering to get dressed. She could feel Wesley’s eyes on her, and she sent him a smug grin over her shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“Faith, it’s Giles. I’ve made arrangements for the Slayers to head your direction. We’ve been given new information, and I believe it best if we arrange for Dana’s transport as soon as possible.”

“When are they gonna be here?”

“Tomorrow afternoon,” Giles replied. “I’ve made hotel reservations, and—”

Faith cut him off before he could continue his explanation. “Don’t bother with the reservations. We took charge of the Hyperion.”

“What exactly happened, Faith?”

She explained what had occurred briefly, then followed it up with, “We’re both okay, and we’ll be ready for the Slayers when they get here.”

“I’ll have Dawn text you with the flight and times.”

Faith snorted. “You could do that yourself.”

“One of these days I may be forced to learn how,” he acknowledged, “but for now Dawn is assisting me.”

She smirked. “You’re going to be lost without her.”

“True enough. Take care of yourself, Faith, and let me know when the Slayers get into town.”

“Will do.” Faith disconnected and turned back to Wesley. He was already getting dressed, pulling his pants on.

“When are they arriving?” he asked, glancing in her direction, his eyes lingering on her naked body, almost like a caress.

Faith held up her phone. “Dawn’s going to text me the flight information.”

Wesley chuckled. “Giles doesn’t have the hang of it yet, hmm?”

“Are you kidding? He barely emails.” Faith decided that she didn’t have much choice but to get dressed herself. They had plenty to do before the girls arrived the next day. “So, you going to move in?”

“I don’t know.” He paused, his shirt unbuttoned. “It may not be a good idea.”

“Because you won’t have a retreat if this doesn’t work out?”

His eyes betrayed his surprise. “As a matter of fact, yes. How did you know?”

She shrugged. “Lucky guess.”

It was more than that, of course. Faith understood needing a place to go; the difference between the two of them was that she ran, and not to anywhere in particular.

Although that was changing.

“We’ll need to figure out how many rooms can be made ready. I’ll let you take this one.” Wesley changed the subject.

Faith raised her eyebrows, knowing what he was doing. “Yeah, sure.” She grinned at him. “You realize that we had sex on Angel’s bed, right?”

A matching grin curved his lips. “I suppose I had noticed.”

Faith realized that Wesley didn’t just feel like an ally; he felt like a friend.


	7. Chapter 7

Caridad stepped off the plane with her bag slung over her shoulder. Giles had assured her that she’d be met at the airport.

“Caridad!” Faith came striding towards her, looking much the same as she had in Sunnydale. “Glad you could make it.”

“How many more are we waiting for?”

“You’re the last to arrive, except for one of the witches from the coven. She won’t be in for another couple of days. Giles decided that she’d be better equipped to accompany the crazy Slayer to England.”

Caridad frowned. “Change of plans?”

“Something like that,” Faith admitted. “We’ve got ourselves a hotel now, so we have the space to start training Slayers. I think Giles wants to set up another location.”

She snorted. “I’ll bet Robin was real happy about that.”

“Have you talked to him?” Faith sounded surprised, which she might. Caridad had been out on a mission with one of the remaining Watchers for the last couple of months, responding to reports of demons in Mexico; she had no reason to talk to Wood.

Caridad shook her head. “No, I talked to Leslie. I called to let her know I was headed to L.A., and she told me. She said Wood’s been weird since you left.”

“Good thing he’s not my problem anymore.”

Her eyebrows went up. “I take it you’re still not happy with him.”

Faith shrugged. “He’s not my favorite person right now, no.”

“Any reason for that?”

“I don’t like being suffocated.” Faith shrugged, as though shaking off any thoughts of her ex-boyfriend. “He’s not my problem anymore. Come on, I’ll take you to the hotel.”

Caridad secured her bag over her shoulder. “Les said that she was coming, too. She here already?”

Faith nodded. “Yeah, you guys can have a reunion at the hotel, and we’ll fill you in.”

Caridad grinned. With a bunch of experienced Slayers around, things were sure to get interesting.

~~~~~

Wesley was feeling a little nervous. He had four Slayers looking at him as though he had the answers, and he didn’t know that he did. For a moment, he contemplated running in the opposite direction, unsure of his ability to discharge his duty. He hadn’t done very well by his last Slayer.

Although, he’d done alright the other night.

They had been too focused on getting the hotel ready for the incoming Slayers to do much else, but he had wanted to. Faith had been on his mind constantly, the memory of her burned into his skin. What he wanted most at the moment was to get Faith upstairs and alone, and preferably naked again.

Taking a deep breath, and reminding himself that he had a job to do, Wesley refocused. “This is the situation. We have a Slayer confined in a mental institution. We’re still working on getting her records, but according to the little information we have, she was a crime victim, and she has suffered a great deal.”

“What are we all doing here?” Leslie asked. “I mean, no offense, I’m cool with it, but it’s not going to take four of us to break this Slayer out of the nuthouse.”

Faith stepped up. “It’s a fair question,” she acknowledged. “Look, I don’t know much, but the coven seems to think that we’re going to be needed here, maybe not now, but eventually.”

“Is that why we’re getting a witch?” Caridad asked.

Wesley shook his head. “It’s not permanent. Giles’ belief is that someone from the coven will be better able to control Dana.”

“And this is where we’re staying?” Phoebe glanced around the lobby. “Because it’s pretty damn cool.”

“Uh, yes,” Wesley replied. “The hotel is ours, and there ought to be enough rooms ready for everyone.”

“Do you have anything to eat?” Uta asked. “I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” Phoebe teased.

She shrugged, unfazed. “It’s the Slayer metabolism.”

“I’ll call for pizza.” Faith headed towards the office. “What do you guys want?”

The girls all spoke at the same time, and Wesley found it impossible to tell what any of them were saying. Faith didn’t have the same problem, because she quickly ruled out anchovies—he had no idea who had made that request—and declared that one meat and one vegetarian would be good enough.

The very vocal protest that followed centered around the fact that there was no way two large pizzas would be enough for everyone, to which Faith agreed. Wesley simply sat back and watched the interaction, noting how Faith managed to corral the girls without being overbearing. She was very, very good at this, and he realized once again how much she’d changed.

Wesley, on the other hand, thought he might fail miserably again.

“Wes?”

He realized from the tone of Faith’s voice that it wasn’t the first time she’d tried to get his attention. “Yes?”

“You want to go with me to pick it up?” Faith asked, an amused smirk on her lips. “The girls can get settled.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

“You were thinking pretty hard,” she observed on the way out to the car.

“You’re very good with them.”

“I _am_ one of them,” Faith replied. “They know that, so they know I’ve got their backs.”

“And me?”

“They know I’ve vouched for you.”

They had just reached his SUV, and Wesley suddenly felt her hand on his arm, felt her spin him around and pin him up against the vehicle. “Faith—”

“Shut up.” She pulled his head down, her mouth latching onto his. Wesley gripped her waist, pulling her closer, returning her embrace hungrily.

He’d been wanting this from the moment she climbed out of bed, and the very desire scared him silly.

Wesley kept enough of his wits about him to mumble, “The girls—” when her hand began to fumble for his belt buckle.

Faith merely smirked against his skin, and Wesley spun them both around, hoping that his body would shield most of their activities from onlookers.

He’d never done this before. Everything he’d done with Lilah had been behind closed and locked doors, neither of them particularly wanting their secret told. And although Wesley wasn’t sure he wanted the world to know that he and Faith were shagging, there was no shame attached. He just needed to keep it a secret until they could both find out what they were doing.

When she was clinging to him, spent, her forehead resting against this shoulder for a brief moment, he whispered, “I wasn’t wearing—”

“I’m clean,” she murmured. “You?”

“Yes, but the other—”

“Took care of that, too.”

Wesley had no idea what her method might be, but he trusted her. “We should probably go.”

She looked up at him then, and there was a vulnerability in her eyes that he had never seen before. “What the fuck are we doing, Wes?”

He realized that she had wanted this just as much as he had, and that it had frightened her, as well. “I don’t know.” Wesley brushed a hand across her forehead. “Perhaps we should just wait and find out.”

~~~~~

Leslie let out a whoop when she looked out her window. “Cari! Come quick!”

Caridad came rushing into the room. “What?”

“Look!”

The other Slayer’s eyes widened when she saw Faith and Wesley locked in a heated embrace. “Holy shit. I really hope that Robin doesn’t find out about this.”

“Find out about what?” Phoebe asked as she entered the room. She hurried over to the window, clearly curious about what they were staring at. “Oh my—”

Uta crowded in by the window as well. “What are we looking at?” Faith and Wesley had pulled apart slightly by the time she saw them, but their recent activities were fairly obvious. “Huh. I had wondered.”

“What?” Leslie rounded on her. “Come on, there’s no way you could have suspected.”

Uta snorted. “Please. Did you see the way he was looking at her earlier?”

Phoebe nodded slowly. “She has a point.”

“And what’s the big deal anyway?” Uta asked. “The guy is hot. You can’t blame Faith.”

Caridad shook her head. “The big deal is that she was with Wood up until a few weeks ago. It seems kind of fast to be moving on.”

Leslie shrugged. “Everybody in Cleveland knew that their relationship wasn’t permanent. That was clear about two days after we got there. But Cari is right. This goes no further, because Wood was acting strange before we left.”

“Are you kidding?” Uta snorted. “I think this is need to know, and no one else needs to know.”

“Um, not to change the subject, but does anybody else want to see what’s here? This place is enormous.” Phoebe looked a little hesitant, but Leslie appreciated the change in subject. Caridad might not understand why Faith would ditch Robin for someone else so quickly, but Leslie had been there for their breakup. If she was happy with Wesley, more power to her.

“Good idea,” Leslie replied. “Cari?”

The older Slayer nodded. “Phoebe, you’re with me. Uta and Leslie, stick together. This place is big enough to get lost in.”

“Top to bottom?” Uta suggested. “If you guys start at the bottom, we can start at the top and meet in the middle.”

Leslie vetoed that idea quickly, although not unkindly. “Food should be here pretty soon,” she explained. “We’ll save the full scale exploration for tomorrow.”

She thought she was going to like it here in L.A.

~~~~~

“What do you mean he left?” Fred demanded.

Angel’s expression was as hard as stone. “Wesley took a job with the Council; he’s still in L.A., at the Hyperion.”

Fred glanced at Gunn, who looked incredibly uncomfortable, then at Lorne, who was watching Angel with a strange expression on his face. “Why did he leave?” Fred asked, still trying to figure out why Wesley would just take off without even saying goodbye.

“He was offered a job with the Council as a Watcher. It’s what he wanted.”

She wasn’t sure that she believed the explanation, not with the expression on Gunn’s face, and Fred fixed him with the look she’d used to get the truth out of him while they were dating. “Gunn?”

He didn’t respond, instead looking at Angel, who rose from the table. “I think we’re done here.”

Once he’d left the room, Fred pushed the issue. “Gunn, what’s going on? What happened to Wes?”

“Angel was under orders from Lilah to fire him,” Gunn explained. “Wes left before he could, because he already had an offer.”

“But why?” She was beginning to feel as though she was out of the loop. “Gunn—”

“Not now, not here,” he warned her. “We need to wait.”

Lorne cleared his throat. “I would second that motion. There’s a bar I know of where we could get a drink. I’ll give Wes a call and have him meet us.”

“Tell him to bring Faith along,” Gunn said. “I’ve dug up some information that will probably interest the both of them.”

Lorne nodded. “I sure will. I’ve got a meeting to go to right now, but I’ll let you both know what Wes says.”

Fred headed back to the lab shortly after that, since Gunn had made it clear that he had somewhere to be, and that he didn’t want to talk to her. She decided that she couldn’t stay around the offices until she had the full story, and if Angel and Gunn refused to give it to her, she’d find another way.

“Are you alright, Fred?” Knox asked, sounding solicitous.

Fred forced a smile. “I’m fine. I just need to run an errand. Will you watch over things for me?”

He nodded. “Are you sure you don’t want company? I could—”

“No.” She quickly vetoed that idea. Somehow Fred didn’t think that Wesley would appreciate Knox showing up on his doorstep with her. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

She’d had to relearn how to drive after coming back from Pylea, and Gunn had been the one to teach her. She still remembered how patient he’d been with her in Los Angeles traffic.

The Hyperion looked just like it always had, and Fred had the sense of coming home. The symbols were still on the lobby floor, and she wondered if they would ever be able to erase them.

Although she couldn’t quite remember when they’d been laid down, or why, at the moment.

“Can I help you?”

The teenage girl behind the counter was sharpening a stake, and Fred realized that Wesley had already found a few Slayers. “Is Wesley here?” she asked hesitantly.

The girl raised her eyebrows. “Who’s asking?”

“Fred?” Wesley emerged from the office. “What are you doing here?”

“Angel said you’d quit,” she blurted out. “What happened?”

Wesley sighed. “Why don’t you come in and sit down?”

She followed him into the office, ignoring the curious look from the girl. “What’s going on?”

“Sit down,” he repeated, then glanced at Faith, who was standing by the bookshelves on one side of the room. Fred hadn’t noticed her.

She gave him a sardonic look. “Do you guys need privacy for this?”

“Of course not,” Wesley said. “Unless Fred—”

Fred shook her head quickly. “No, it’s not—what happened?”

“Angel fired me,” Wesley responded bluntly.

“But—what did you do?” she asked before she thought better of her question. Fred didn’t mean it quite like that, but she had a hard time understanding why Angel would fire Wesley for no good reason.

Hurt flashed across his face, but Faith jumped in before he could respond. “He didn’t do anything. Angel was following orders from the Senior Partners. Wes was getting too close to information they wanted to keep hidden.”

“I’m sorry.” Fred really was contrite. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

His expression softened. “I know. What can I do for you, Fred?”

She understood it as the dismissal it was, but she hated to leave it there, hated to think that Wesley might think that he had been abandoned by everyone. “I found out where Faith’s blood sample was.” Fred glanced at the other woman as she said it, not wanting her to feel talked around; she’d always hated it when others did that to her.

“Oh?” Wesley seemed to perk up at that. “Where was it?”

Fred shook her head. “I don’t know. I have no idea where it was when I looked the other day. Someone must have returned it.” She fished it out of her purse, having grabbed it on her way out of the lab, knowing that they would want it.

Handing it to Faith, she added apologetically, “I don’t know if anyone tampered with it, but you have it now anyway.”

“Thanks.” The Slayer took it from her, then handed it to Wesley with a strange expression on her face. “You’ll take care of it?”

“Of course.” He turned back to Fred. “You should get back,” he said gently. “There’s no point in drawing the Senior Partners’ attention.”

It didn’t seem right, leaving things like that. “You’ll let me know if I can help?” she pressed. “I’ll do whatever I can.”

“I know you will.”

He left it there, and Fred sensed a coolness towards her that hadn’t been there in the past. She wondered where it might have come from, since she hadn’t had anything to do with him being fired from the law firm, and he knew that.

In the end, however, there was nothing she _could_ do but leave, and hope that somehow everything would still work out for the best—even if she had a hard time believing that it would.


	8. Chapter 8

“But—”

“You guys have your orders,” Faith said firmly. “We have a meeting to get to, and none of you know L.A. all that well.” At the expression on Caridad’s face, she amended, “Except Caridad, but we’ve got open season on Slayers to deal with.”

“There’s plenty of stuff we can do around here,” Leslie said, her tone conciliatory. “And I can do some research on the mental institution that Dana is in.”

Wesley smiled at her. “That’s good thinking, Leslie. Thank you.”

“When is the witch coming?” Caridad asked, her tone making it clear that she meant it literally.

“Tomorrow,” Faith replied. “Wes is picking her up while we train.”

No one looked terribly happy with that solution, but there wasn’t another option. The girls weren’t ready to face L.A. traffic, and Faith didn’t know the woman Giles was sending any better than Wesley did. She’d much rather work on training the other Slayers than make an airport run for someone who might be a total pain in the ass.

“We’d better get going if we’re not going to be late,” Wesley announced, putting a hand on Faith’s back to lead her out.

She couldn’t say that she minded the contact. His hands were warm and strong, and while there were other places Faith would rather his hands be, she would take what she could get. Who knew when they’d get another chance to be alone?

The truth was that she craved him in a way that she had never craved anyone else, and she was oddly okay with that. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that she knew he wouldn’t leave, that something beyond mutual lust bound them together. They shared a calling now, and sharing a bed came second.

“What do you think they’re going to say?” she asked as he started up the engine on the big SUV—which looked like it was going to be handy for carting Slayers around.

He shrugged. “I have no idea. Lorne was the one to call me, and he just said to bring you, that they had information to give to us.”

“That doesn’t tell me much.”

“I think he was worried about giving out too much information over the phone.” Wesley looked thoughtful. “Given what I found out about the Senior Partners’ activities, that’s probably a wise decision on his part.”

Wesley had filled her in on what little he’d been able to discover before getting the boot, but Faith wasn’t sure what it all meant. So, the Senior Partners were gathering their forces. They’d already known that the forces of evil were enjoying a holiday.

“That doesn’t tell us anything,” Faith objected.

“Perhaps they’ve found something that would.” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.”

“You seem pretty relaxed.”

Wesley glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

“For a guy who just had his entire life upended, you don’t seem too sad about it,” Faith pointed out.

“You expected to see me mope?”

“No,” she replied with a smile, amused at the mental picture. “But I was expecting you to be a little more—”

“Upset?”

“Something like that.”

“I was trained to be a Watcher, Faith, and now I have four Slayers.” He glanced over at her. “In some ways, this is what I was born to do.”

Faith raised her eyebrows. “I think you miscounted.”

“What?”

“You’ve got five Slayers.”

She could tell that her words surprised and touched him. “Thank you.”

“Hey, you’re the Watcher.”

Wesley smiled. “And you’re the one in charge.”

Faith grinned back. “Now you’re getting it.”

~~~~~

Wesley had no idea what the others wanted to see him about, although he assumed that Gunn or Lorne had come across information that they didn’t want to share over the phone. More than that, he couldn’t say.

He hadn’t lied when he’d claimed not to be upset over his being fired from the law firm; in a way, it had been a relief to leave that place. Being a Watcher was what he’d trained for, what he’d been groomed for—and now he was doing it. Not only that, he had five active Slayers—if he counted Faith, which she had given him permission to do.

Given what had gone on between them, both in Sunnydale and Los Angeles, Wesley had been touched. Of course, with what had passed between them more recently, he was fairly certain that there were no hard feelings.

The bar that Lorne had selected was suitably dim, but Wesley could just make out the features of a few demons. It was probably why Lorne had selected such a place, since it would be a little harder for him to blend in elsewhere.

The anagogic demon was seated at a corner table with Fred and Gunn. Both were dressed more casually than Wesley had seen since they started at the law firm. Someone had even managed to pry Gunn out of his suit and tie.

Wesley slid into the booth, Faith taking the seat next to him. “You called?”

“We have some information,” Gunn replied.

“About Angel?” Faith asked.

“That, and what the Senior Partners are up to,” Gunn replied.

Fred raised her hand tentatively. “I still don’t understand what exactly happened.”

“Are you really that stupid?” Faith asked.

Wesley glanced at her, giving a quick shake of his head. “It’s okay, Faith. The truth is that I got too close to Angel’s secret.”

Fred sighed, sounding incredibly aggravated. “What the hell is going on?” she demanded. “You all have been dancing around this secret, and I just—”

“Angel has a son,” Wesley said, cutting her off. He knew that her rant was just beginning, and if he didn’t stop her before she got started, she wouldn’t be able to stop. “I’m fairly certain that’s what the law firm was so concerned about us discovering.”

Fred blinked. “Angel has a son? Why don’t we—” She stopped, and that’s when Wesley realized that she’d figured it out. The look of betrayal on her face was clear. “He changed my memories.”

“He did it to all of us.” Faith’s voice was sympathetic, which surprised Wesley. She’d seemed rather hostile towards the other woman up to that point. “It’s not just you.”

“But he knew. Angel _knew_.”

Wesley wasn’t sure what it was that Angel had known about Fred that would cause her to feel so hurt. “Knew what, Fred?”

“He knew that I was…” She trailed off, clearly uncomfortable explaining.

“That you were crazy?” Lorne asked gently. “In Pylea?”

“He was there,” Fred said, the anger in her voice rising.

Wesley sighed. “We all were there, Fred. He had no right.”

“What are we going to do?” Fred asked, her voice hard. “I want my memories back.”

He was slightly taken aback by her bold assertion—not that he blamed her. It was just that he thought there were other matters to concentrate on first, like who was trying to kill Faith. “One thing at a time.” When she looked as though she was about to protest, Wesley shook his head. “I promise that it’s a priority, Fred, but we need to focus on the Senior Partners first.”

“I think they’re calling the shots on who put the hit on Faith,” Gunn said. “From what I’ve been able to figure out, someone specifically wants you dead. The other Slayers are just a bonus.”

“That’s nothing new,” Faith replied. “We’ve had assassins dogging us for months now. I just got done killing a bunch of them in Brazil.”

Lorne leaned forward, speaking for the first time. “I don’t think you get it, sweetheart. We’re not talking one clan; the Senior Partners can bring in demons from other dimensions—and I’m not just talking one at a time.”

“You’re thinking something along the lines of a horde,” Wesley stated flatly.

The demon nodded. “Not right now. I don’t think they’ve got a prayer of getting that in, but it’s only a matter of time.”

“Giles said we needed to be here,” Faith said slowly. “The coven wanted us here for some kind of battle. Maybe this is what they were talking about.”

“If it is, we need to figure out what we’re going to do about it,” Gunn said quietly. “I don’t think we can just sit tight and wait for the fireworks.”

Faith held up a hand, as though to call a halt to the conversation. “What about Angel? Is he stuck in that place? Shouldn’t we be getting him out?”

“Like I told Wes,” Gunn began, “the contract is airtight.”

Fred looked distressed. “Isn’t there a loophole?”

“Not that I can see.” Gunn sighed. “But I can look again.”

“What about our memories?” Fred asked. “And finding the other Slayers, and all of that?”

Wesley had no idea how to answer her. There were too many things that ought to be done, and he had no idea how to prioritize them; what was more pressing—assassins or having the knowledge they were missing?

“Look, the witch from the coven is coming in tomorrow,” Faith said. “Maybe she can help Wes look up the missing memories while we break Dana out of the mental institution.”

Gunn smiled. “I think I know a better way to do it.”

“Yeah?” she asked. “What’s better than breaking someone out?”

“Getting them out legally, so no one asks any questions.” He smirked. “I’ll have the paperwork ready tomorrow.”

“Good,” Wesley said. “That should save us both time and expense.”

Lorne leaned in a little closer. “You haven’t asked what my news is yet.”

“I thought you had the same news,” Faith replied.

He shook his head. “No, this is juicier. I know who was behind that piece of costume jewelry you two were asking about.”

Wesley’s ears perked up at that; he had no idea if the information would be helpful, but it certainly couldn’t hurt. “Who?”

“Lindsey McDonald.”

~~~~~

Fred was too upset and distracted to go back to the law firm after meeting with the others; the idea that Angel would mess around with her mind, after he’d seen how Pylea had affected her, seemed the worst kind of betrayal. In truth, she didn’t want to go back now that she couldn’t trust Angel’s motives for agreeing to take over.

She’d just reached her apartment when Knox called. “I thought you were coming back after your meeting,” he said immediately.

“I’m not feeling very well,” she lied. “I’m going to try and get some sleep.”

“Is there anything you need?”

“No. No, I’ll be fine.” Fred said goodbye, not wanting to fend off anymore offers of assistance. She knew that his intentions were good, but there were times when she found Knox’s attentions suffocating. While he certainly respected her intelligence, there was a worshipfulness to his focus that made her uncomfortable, even though it had been flattering at first.

Tossing her phone on the bedside table, she sat down on the bed quickly, putting her face in her hands. Fred realized that there was no one she could talk to about her feelings. Gunn hadn’t had the same reaction to the news that she’d had, and Lorne seemed to believe that he’d known what he was getting into.

Maybe she would have gone to Wesley at some point, but that was out of the question now. He and Faith were clearly together, and with their history, and the distance that had sprung up between them—

There were moments when Fred wished for the innocence she’d lost in Pylea, when she wished she’d been able to go home with her parents and rebuild her life, forget everything she’d seen and done.

Fred wished that she could leave, but she didn’t know that there would be a place for her anywhere else.

Hesitantly, she opened the drawer of the small table and pulled out her address book. Turning to the appropriate page, she saw Willow’s name and email address written in neat lettering. They had exchanged contact information back when the witch had been in town to re-ensoul Angel, but there had been too much going on for Fred to take the other woman up on the offer.

Perhaps now was the time. If Fred couldn’t stay at Wolfram &amp; Hart, it would be a good idea to have somewhere to go.

~~~~~

“Come on, Wes.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I’m the one meeting Ellen at the airport, remember?”

“You don’t have to leave for two hours, and it’ll set a good example for the girls.”

“Watching you kick my arse will set an example of what exactly?”

“I’ll go easy on you,” Faith said with a grin that promised just the opposite. “It’ll be fun.”

Wesley stared down at the text he’d been reading on soul catchers. It was easier than trying to speculate as to what Lindsey McDonald might have planned, and whether he meant it for Angel’s good or harm.

And working out with Faith would certainly get his mind off his problems. “Very well. But if you end up killing me, you’re the one who will be explaining it to Giles.”

She snorted. “Please. I have way too many uses for you to kill you—or even hurt you very much.”

The saucy wink she sent over her shoulder as she walked out of the office had Wesley chuckling and shaking his head. They had certainly become easier in one another’s company in the last few weeks, very much like partners.

How was it that he felt more comfortable with Faith than the people with whom he’d spent the last few years of his life?

Wesley followed her down to the basement of the hotel, where they’d set up the training room. The lobby could also be used, but he remembered Cordelia and Angel doing most of their sparring downstairs.

Faith was stretching, limbering up her muscles, and she shot him a look. “You want to lose the shirt, Wes?”

He sighed and began undoing the buttons on his Oxford shirt. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to do laundry lately, and so had run out of clean t-shirts, other than undershirts. Faith was right, however; it was probably a good idea not to risk ruining a good shirt.

Phoebe, who was watching avidly with the other Slayers from one side of the room, let out a whistle, and he shot her a quelling look—and noticed that Faith did the same.

“Weapons?” he asked.

Faith shrugged. “Looks like Angel left a couple of swords down here.”

“Perfect.”

He was decent with a blade, and with the demons that they’d been seeing lately, it would behoove the girls to learn how to wield more than just a stake.

Faith’s technique was haphazard, and it was clear—to him, at least—that she’d had little formal training. What she lacked in technique, she more than made up for in speed and inventiveness.

Then again, he thought as he disarmed her and sent the sword spinning out of her reach, there was something to be said for technique.

“So, Wes, you going to explain how you just did that?” Faith asked, shaking the sting out of her hand.

“The short answer is more training and lots of practice,” he replied. “But your opponent will not always have much of either.” Wesley caught Faith’s eye, then turned to the other Slayers. “Leslie? Would you like to try?”

The girl looked nervous stepping forward, which was one of the reasons he’d asked her to go first; he thought her confidence could use a little boosting, and she had a graceful way of moving that would be well-suited to the sword.

Faith handed Leslie her sword, and Wesley gently corrected her grip when she held it out, making sure that the others were paying attention. “We’ll start slowly,” he promised.

Leslie nodded, looking determined, and he could see similar expressions on the other girls’ faces. He knew that they would be watching everything he did, every move he showed her, so that they could duplicate it later.

Every single one of them knew that their lives could depend upon it.

~~~~~

Ellen tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, sighing when another piece immediately dropped into her eyes. She was only supposed to bring a carry-on, because the idea was that she’d accompany Dana back to Bath immediately.

Of course, Ellen knew that the best laid plans of mice and men often went awry, which was why she’d packed enough for two weeks.

“Ellen?”

The cultured voice that called to her wasn’t quite what she’d expected. Giles had told her that Wesley Wyndam-Pryce was going to meet her, and she’d heard a few stories. The general feeling among the other Watchers she’d spoken to was that it was apt that the rogue Watcher had been paired with the rogue Slayer.

The tall, thin man in jeans and a button-down shirt hardly seemed the type to rebel against the establishment.

“That would be me. You must be Mr. Wyndam-Pryce.”

“Wesley, please,” he replied immediately. “Can I get your bag?”

Ellen shook her head. “No, but if you would get my other suitcase, I would appreciate it.” When she pointed at it as it circled on the carousel, he raised an eyebrow.

“Has there been a change of plans?”

“I’d rather be prepared for any contingency,” Ellen responded. “It may be that Dana is not stable enough to transport immediately, and in that case, I’d rather have what I need to hand.”

“Of course.” He snagged the suitcase easily. “This way, please. Faith and the other girls are anxious to meet you.”

Ellen hurried to keep up, his long strides eating up twice as much ground as she could cover. She always regretted not having a few more inches, particularly since she was rather shorter than the average Jane.

“Are they? I’ve noticed that a number of Slayers are rather skeptical of those of us in the coven.”

He was silent for a moment. “There’s a perception that the members of the coven know more than what they’re saying,” he finally said diplomatically.

Ellen shrugged. “If that’s so, no one has told me. Have you found out any more about this Slayer of yours? Dana?”

“Only that she’s been institutionalized for a very long time. Her parents were brutally murdered, and she was kidnapped and held by the same man.” Wesley shook his head. “From the little we’ve been able to gather, since the Slayers were activated, the doctors have had to continually increase her dosage to keep her calm.”

She nodded, unsurprised. “I see. And do you know how we’re going to get her out yet?”

“I have a friend working on it,” Wesley replied. “I believe that he’ll be able to arrange a transfer without our having to resort to violence.”

“Good,” Ellen replied, “because a chaotic situation is likely to only increase her hostility.”

Wesley looked at her, his blue eyes showing curiosity. “May I ask how you’re going to ensure that she doesn’t harm anyone during your trip back?”

“I’m going to sit with her,” Ellen replied, knowing that she wasn’t really explaining. “With any luck, I’ll be able to soften some of her pain.”

It was why she’d been sent, after all.


	9. Chapter 9

Faith was calling out directions and reminders to the girls as they sparred. All of them had had some training, and both Caridad and Uta had had Watchers of their own before they’d been killed by the Bringers. She was honestly grateful that they had the more advanced Slayers for the time being, given that she wasn’t ready to be a parent to some of the younger ones.

Then again, there were moments when the idea appealed to her, thinking about how the youngest Slayers, the ones they could find and train, would have a better childhood than she’d had. Providing that to someone would feel good, Faith thought.

When her phone rang, she went to fish it out of her pocket, calling to the others to keep going. “What’s up, Giles?” Faith asked as she headed up the stairs, away from the noise.

“Robin is dead, Faith,” he replied without preamble.

Faith stopped, feeling the blow. She wasn’t in love with him—she didn’t think she’d really ever been—but he’d been a comrade in arms. “What happened?”

“He was attempting to put a hit out on Spike,” Giles explained, his tone grave. “Kennedy and Rachel sensed that something was wrong, and they followed him. When he saw the two of them, he attacked.”

“Who was the one to do it?”

“Kennedy.”

Faith closed her eyes. At least Kennedy had killed out of self-defense, but Faith still remembered what it had felt like to kill her first human—although in that case it had been an accident. In a way, the next death had been easier, but harder, too; she tried not to think about it too much.

“How is she holding up?” Faith asked after a moment.

“Well, I believe,” Giles responded. “Rachel was injured more seriously, and so she’s been looking after the younger girls herself.”

She knew what he was going to ask before he said anything. “When do you want me to leave?”

“Thank you, Faith,” he replied, acknowledging that he’d been about to make the request. “As soon as you can, to be honest. Kennedy could use the assistance, and I’d like for you to assess the situation. I need to know if I should send another Watcher, or if perhaps the girls should be sent to L.A.”

“What about the Hellmouth?” Faith asked. “You can’t leave it without a Slayer.”

“No, but Kennedy and Rachel have both proven themselves capable. I would leave them and perhaps one other Slayer there.”

Faith didn’t think that was a good idea. If Giles removed the other Slayers, it would seem like a punishment, and she thought that might not be wise under the circumstances. “Gunn said he could get Dana out without us having to break in,” Faith replied. “Wesley can look after the others, and he should be back soon with Ellen. I can leave tomorrow.”

“Good. I’ll arrange your tickets.” Giles hesitated before adding, “I’m not sure how anxious you would be to return to L.A. If you would like to stay in Cleveland—”

“No.” The word came out of her mouth with more vehemence than she’d intended. “No,” she repeated, a little more softly this time. “I need to be here, Giles.”

The silence felt accusatory, although Faith knew that she was probably imagining it. “Is there something going on?”

For some reason, Faith felt uncomfortable telling Giles what was going on between her and Wesley. It felt too new, too fragile to speak about. She and Wes didn’t even say much about it, although they had done plenty.

“Is it you and Wesley?” Giles asked after the silence had stretched on.

“It’s something like that,” was all she could say.

He made a humming sound, and she couldn’t tell whether he was upset, surprised, or if he didn’t care at all. “I see,” was all that finally came out. “Of course I’ll honor your wishes. Have Ellen call me when she gets in, please.”

“Sure,” Faith replied, feeling awkward.

There was another long pause, and Giles finally said, “As long as you’re happy, Faith. If something happens…”

He trailed off, but Faith knew what he was trying to say. He’d let her stay with Wood the last time, and the relationship had quickly soured; there was every possibility that it would happen again.

She wondered if he thought she might ask for transfer after transfer, always leaving a failed romance behind.

“It’s not like that,” she said.

“Very well.” His tone was reassuring, and Faith thought that perhaps he took comfort in the fact that she wasn’t Buffy, and Wesley wasn’t a vampire. “Take care, and call me when you can in Cleveland.”

Faith hung up, and couldn’t help but smile. It had been a long time since she’d had anything resembling a father-figure.

~~~~~

Wesley had no idea what to think about the latest turn of events, but he knew already that he was going to miss Faith. “Do you think you’ll bring any of them back with you?” he asked softly.

Faith had already spilled the news to the other Slayers when he’d returned with Ellen, making for very subdued greetings. Wesley had never met the man, and so while there might be the usual regret he felt for any lost life, he didn’t feel sorrow.

Besides, if what Giles had said was true, the man had tried to kill two Slayers. Wesley couldn’t feel too sorry for him.

“I don’t know,” Faith replied, pushing her hair back from her face. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Giles left most of them with Ken and Rachel, but sent the younger ones here. We have more room, and it makes sense, in a way.”

“It does,” he agreed, although the idea of yet more responsibility was a little frightening. From what Faith had said, there had been girls as young as ten Chosen, and those were only the known Slayers.

Faith sighed. “I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone.”

“As long as it takes, I suppose.” He allowed himself the luxury of brushing the hair out of her face. “You’ll be careful?”

She looked amused, rather than annoyed, at his question. “Of course. Who else is going to keep you in shape?” Then her expression altered almost imperceptibly, giving him just enough warning to not be surprised by her kiss.

There was a moment of déjà vu, when he remembered kissing Fred in this very spot, in the place that had been his office, and now was again. But it was only a moment, because Faith took up his attention. All he could think about was her—her skin, her lips, her smell. It was exhilarating and frightening, but Wesley didn’t care.

He knew that he was taking a gamble that might not pay off, but the risk was worth it.

Spinning her around, Wesley pushed her back against the desk, but she pushed back, moving them both towards the couch. He didn’t much care where they ended up, just as long as he could feel her.

He ended up sitting on the couch, Faith straddling his waist. Her hands gripped his shoulders, and he allowed his to run up and down her back. Faith’s dark, wavy hair brushed his face, and he caught her scent.

“I’ll miss this,” she whispered.

Wesley didn’t reply—he knew what she meant. There were some things that were impossible to say.

~~~~~

Ellen followed Gunn through the halls of the institution, Wesley just behind her. The dark-skinned man had waved some official-looking paperwork that had gained them entry, and supposedly was going to affect Dana’s transfer to their care.

She had no idea how the man had managed it, or what kind of power he had. She didn’t much like the idea of trusting someone she didn’t know, but if they were able to avoid violence, it would be worth it.

Pushing her dark hair, streaked with gray, behind her ears, Ellen straightened her suit jacket. She was hoping that the clothing would make her look a little more legitimate.

“There you go,” said the orderly leading the way. He had stopped at the door, and didn’t appear too excited about going inside. “She’s sedated now; it’ll hold for maybe another hour or two. I wouldn’t bet on longer, though.”

“That’s fine,” Ellen said. “It’s all the time we’ll need.”

The orderly sniffed. “Then you’ve got stronger stuff than us. We’ve been increasing her dosage for the last few months, and it seems to be wearing off faster every day.”

“Of course it is,” she muttered. “Open the door.”

Her voice was authoritative enough to have the orderly unlocking the door. Ellen entered, Wesley just behind her. The girl was crouched in a corner, rocking back and forth, restrained by a straightjacket. “Hello, Dana,” Ellen said quietly. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

She didn’t respond, staring balefully at the wall.

Ellen crouched next to her, throwing a dark look at the orderly who made a sound in protest. “She’s dangerous!” he exclaimed defensively.

“She is traumatized,” Ellen said severely. “And if you can’t be quiet, you can leave.”

“It’s your funeral,” he muttered, leaving the room. He closed the door behind him, but Ellen didn’t hear the click of the lock. Not that she was worried about that.

Wesley said nothing, merely stood by the door with his arms crossed over his chest, watching with narrowed eyes. She knew he was there to make sure that no harm came to her, but Ellen was certain that she would be safe from the girl’s rage.

“Hello, dear.” She kept her voice soft, and her hands in clear view. “I know you’re frightened by all that’s been going on, but I promise that you’re going to be safe.” Keeping the same even, singsong tone that had worked so well in the past, she continued, “Why don’t we get that thing off of you? Won’t that feel good?”

Dana’s eyes finally met hers, and while Ellen still couldn’t see much sense there, she seemed calm. Moving carefully, she unbuckled the straitjacket and pulled it off, revealing nothing more than a thin robe.

Ellen motioned to the bag near the door, and in the same voice said, “Wesley, bring that bag to me, and no sudden movements if you please.”

She was relieved to see that he had some idea of what they were dealing with, because his movements were smooth and deliberate, and he passed the bag to her without alarming the girl. “Good,” Ellen crooned. “See how easy that was, my dear? Now, we’re just going to get you dressed while the nice Watcher turns his back for a moment. Won’t it feel good to wear some real clothes again?”

Getting Dana dressed took a long time, but Ellen had expected that. The girl was drugged to the teeth, which was probably a good thing for now. When she was wearing the jeans and t-shirt that Ellen had brought, and her feet had been coaxed into sandals, Ellen knew that the real work had just begun.

She took Dana’s hand, relieved when the girl did not resist, and she looked deep into her eyes. “It’s time to go now, love. You’ll have a rest free of dreams, and then we’ll have a nice, long chat.”

~~~~~

Wesley had no idea what he was seeing, but he thought that it might be something of a miracle. He’d never had much contact with the witches of the coven, although he’d heard stories. Most Watchers distrusted anyone with that sort of power—power they didn’t hold themselves. Giles was one of the few to form bonds of friendship with them.

Ellen took the girl’s hand, and Dana followed her willingly. Wesley had come armed with the tranq pistol just in case, but it appeared as though he wasn’t going to need it.

“Let’s go,” Ellen said quietly. “I need to remain in contact with her, so you’re going to have to sign the papers to get her out of here.”

Wesley did as he was told, recognizing that she was the one with authority in this matter. Giles had said that the witch was qualified to deal with Dana, but he hadn’t said why, or what she was capable of.

“Is there anything else I can do?” Gunn asked.

Wesley shook his head. “No. Thanks for your help, Charles.”

“Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you,” he said in a low voice. “Or if you find out about Angel, and what he’s hiding.”

“I’ll do that,” he promised. “Take care, Gunn.”

“You do the same.”

They briefly clasped hands, and Wesley experienced a moment of remembrance so strong that he was nearly overcome. At one point, this man had been like a brother, and now he felt as though he was staring into the face of a stranger—albeit a familiar one.

In a moment, the exchange was over, and Wesley turned to leave, knowing that what was lost could not often be found again.

The ride back to the hotel was quiet save for Ellen’s quiet reassurances to Dana. Wesley had been concerned about the drive back, but it all went smoothly. He experienced a pang of regret that Faith wouldn’t be there to meet them, wondering what she’d make of Dana, her troubles, and Ellen’s mysterious ability to soothe her.

Faith was becoming a true partner in a way that Wesley had never before experienced. In the past, he’d either been the subordinate or the boss, but he’d never truly had an equal.

Unless he included Cordelia, before he’d taken over, and even then it had been different. They hadn’t really been friends until later, after Fred had entered their group.

When he entered the hotel, Wesley saw Fred sitting on the round couch in the center of the lobby, the Slayers standing around her awkwardly. “Fred? Is something wrong?”

“I heard from Willow,” Fred replied. “I’m leaving Wolfram and Hart, but I’m worried about Cordelia.”

He blinked, trying to sort through what she’d just told him. “You contacted Willow?” he asked, deciding that it would be best to start from the beginning, then realized that the Slayers were all staring at them.

“Girls, would you show Ellen and Dana up to their rooms?” He made it sound like a suggestion, but was certain to put a force behind his words that would indicate that it was more of a command.

There was a moment’s hesitation, but since Ellen was already heading upstairs, the Slayers trooped up after her.

“Let’s go into the office,” Wesley suggested gently.

“It’s not yours?”

“I prefer to think of it as ‘ours,’” he responded, shutting the door behind them. “What’s going on?”

“I can’t go back there,” Fred replied. “Angel changed my memories. I don’t know what’s real and what’s not anymore, and I can’t trust him.”

Wesley took a deep breath. This was not something he’d expected, but then again, perhaps he should have. Fred had made great strides since returning from Pylea, but he was certain that the specter of madness still haunted her. “Is that wise?”

“I don’t care!” she burst out. “I have to get out of there. I emailed Willow to ask if she had any ideas. There was something.” Fred dug around in her purse and came up with a sheet of paper. “This is what she found on restoring our memories.”

Wesley scanned the paper. “I don’t know that this is something I can do. It would require that everyone be present whose memories were altered, and—”

“But that’s us,” Fred pointed out. “You, me, Gunn, and Lorne.”

“Not to mention Faith,” Wesley countered. “And she’s not here right now. Although it will likely take me time to either purchase or create an Orlon Window.”

His musings were interrupted by Fred. “Where’s Faith?”

“One of the Watchers who had a grudge against Spike attempted to put a hit out on him, then tried to kill two Slayers who found out. Faith went to take charge in Cleveland until other arrangements could be made.” Wesley could see one major flaw in Fred’s plan. “What about Angel’s son? It might behoove us to find out where he is first, and what this will do to him.”

“It won’t change his memories unless he’s present,” Fred pressed. “I need to remember, Wes. I just—”

“I know,” he interrupted. “What about Knox?”

Fred shook her head. “I can’t. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Wesley had no idea what to tell her. He was unwilling to perform the spell until Faith had returned, and he was concerned for Angel’s son. The boy was an innocent in all of this, and even if the Orlon Window had no affect on him due to his absence, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t suffer some other way.

“I’ll do what I can,” he promised. “But I need to wait until Faith returns to actually perform the spell.”

Fred nodded. “I understand.”

“Do you have somewhere to stay?” Wesley asked. He found that his feelings on the matter were curiously detached at the moment. Fred was merely his good friend; he was no longer in love with her—if he ever had been.

She nodded. “I still have the apartment I got after Angel gave this place up. And I have some money saved.”

“I’ll call you if something comes up,” Wesley promised. “Until then, there’s nothing you can do.”

He could see that it didn’t sit well with her, but she accepted his statement without argument.

“If I can help with the Slayers, let me know,” Fred replied. “I feel like I haven’t done anything worthwhile in weeks now.”

Wesley knew exactly how she felt.


	10. Chapter 10

Faith hadn’t known what to expect when she arrived in Cleveland. She and Kennedy hadn’t actually gotten along when they’d been down in Rio, and she knew it was entirely possible that the other girl would resent the hell out of her for coming.

Or being sent, rather.

Renting a car once she got into town seemed like the best option; Faith didn’t want to be dependent upon anyone for a ride. When she pulled up to the house, however, she could see her old truck parked in the driveway, and Rachel came out to greet her.

“I thought you were hurt,” Faith commented when she saw the younger girl.

Rachel shrugged. “Flesh wound. It was no big deal.” She glanced back at the house. “I wanted to talk to you.”

Faith’s eyebrows went up, but she didn’t argue. “Sure. What’s up?”

Rachel led her away from the house. “Look, I get why Giles sent you, and I’m glad to see you, but Kennedy is feeling crappy enough already. If you take over—”

“I’m headed back to L.A. as soon as I know things are under control,” Faith interrupted. “I’m not staying.”

Rachel blinked. “Oh. I thought…”

Faith took a deep breath. “I get that Ken is in charge, and you two seem to be doing fine on your own, but Giles needs to be sure that you two are okay with being in charge, and he asked me to check. I’ve got experience in this sort of thing, which is why he asked me.”

Neither Rachel nor Kennedy knew her entire history. Faith hadn’t seen the need to bring it up, although she’d used snippets as object lessons on how _not_ to do things. Now, however, she got the sense that she was going to need to have a very serious conversation with one or both girls.

Rachel seemed to relax at that. “I think Kennedy will feel better knowing that. Sorry, Faith. It’s not that I don’t want you to stay, but she’s totally freaked out. She thought that Giles blamed her, and it wasn’t her fault.”

“I know.” Faith put a hand on Rachel’s shoulder. “Trust me, the last thing I want is to make her feel like she’s losing control here.”

That, she knew, would be a recipe for disaster.

~~~~~

Kennedy wasn’t sure what she was expecting from Faith. Giles hadn’t yelled at her, or even expressed disappointment that she hadn’t handled things better; he’d just said that he would be sending someone to help out. Knowing what had happened when the other Slayer showed up in Rio, Kennedy was expecting a situation like that again.

Instead of taking charge, Faith was interested in ensuring that everybody was okay, and then heading back to L.A.

“Have you told the girls what happened yet?” Faith had asked to see Rachel and Kennedy alone before talking to everybody at once.

Kennedy shook her head. “I wasn’t sure what to say.”

“We told them that he was on a mission for Giles,” Rachel added.

Faith took a deep breath. “Okay. We’re going to have to tell them the truth because eventually word is going to get out.”

Kennedy knew she was right, but she didn’t want to be the person to tell them. As though reading her mind, Faith continued, “I can do it. It might be best, since I know most of them fairly well.”

“Then what?” Kennedy was prepared for Faith to tell her that they were shutting down operations in Cleveland.

“How many girls do you think you can handle here?” Faith asked bluntly. “And be honest, because Giles doesn’t want you two to be overwhelmed any more than he wants the girls to be in a bad situation.

Kennedy looked at Rachel, who shrugged. “I think we can deal with the ones we have now,” Rachel said. “But probably not any more.”

Faith nodded. “Fair enough. Unless it looks like one or more would be better off in L.A., that’s the recommendation I’ll make to Giles.”

While Kennedy wasn’t normally the sort to look a gift horse in the mouth, she was having a hard time understanding why Faith was being so accommodating. “Why? I killed Robin.”

Faith leaned back in her chair and raised her eyebrows. “On purpose?”

“No!” Kennedy took a deep breath. “He was attacking me, but it was an accident. I just don’t get why—”

“When I was in Sunnydale the first time, I killed someone,” Faith said in a low voice, her dark eyes intense. “Buffy and I were fighting a bunch of vampires, and he came around a corner. Or maybe I came around the corner. It’s kind of a blur now.”

“What did you do?” Rachel asked.

“I ran,” she said honestly. “And then I went back later and hid the body, but it didn’t stay hidden. I blamed it on Buffy, and later the Council tried to drag me back to England for rehab. It wasn’t a great time.”

It wasn’t hard for Kennedy to figure out that that was an understatement. “Is that why Giles sent you? Because you _understand_?” She was angry that anyone thought that they could understand killing someone who was supposed to be your ally.

“No.” Faith put her hands on Kennedy’s shoulders, keeping her in her seat. “No one understands, Ken. What I did, and what you had to do, were two different things, but we’ve both killed a man. That’s what I can get.”

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like that,” Kennedy whispered.

Faith smiled, her expression tinged with sadness. “No, it wasn’t. Then again, I think we all believed that Wood had gotten over his hatred of Spike, so it wasn’t just a mistake on your part. We’re all responsible.”

Kennedy wasn’t sure she bought that, but she appreciated the sentiment.

~~~~~

Willow’s email had come as a relief, but having a place to go meant that she needed to leave, which was harder than she’d thought it would be in the initial heat of her anger. She didn’t want to confront Angel, to tell him that she knew what he had done, and she couldn’t forgive him for it. Perhaps, if she had her memories, she would have understood—and there lay the conundrum.

Taking a deep breath, Fred stepped inside Angel’s office and closed the door behind her. He looked up, startled. “Fred? Is everything okay?”

“No,” she replied honestly. “It’s not.”

“What’s wrong?”

She couldn’t sit still for this; instead, she stood, wringing her hands. “I can’t stay here.”

The vampire blinked, clearly unsure of what she meant. “What?”

“I can’t stay here,” Fred repeated, knowing that it wasn’t any clearer a second time. “I know about the spell you had cast that erased our memories, and I can’t stay.”

He rose from his chair, coming around his desk. “Fred, please, sit down. Did Wes tell you?”

Fred nodded. “But I can feel it now. I know there are things I can’t remember. You—you removed my memories after you saw what Pylea did to me. You _knew_.”

Angel had known, but she could tell by his expression that he hadn’t truly understood what ramifications his actions would have. “I never meant to hurt you. You weren’t supposed to know.”

“But you did hurt me.” Fred wasn’t ready to let it go quite so easily. “And the others. Angel—”

“You don’t understand.” The muscle in his jaw was ticking, and he refused to meet her eyes. “There was no other way.”

“We could have found one.”

“There wasn’t one. I did what I had to do to save Connor.”

It wasn’t the first time that Fred had heard his name; Angel had mentioned someone named Connor when they’d first decided to take the law firm’s offer. Maybe she should have known then that something was wrong, but now she wondered if the spell hadn’t done something more than just causing them to forget a boy.

Maybe, along with all the other memories it had erased, it had made it easier to come and work here.

“I’m going to work for the Council,” Fred said. “Here in L.A. for right now, but maybe somewhere else later. I don’t know.”

Angel shook his head. “Fred, no.”

She backed up a step. “I can’t trust you, Angel, and I can’t work for someone I can’t trust. I’m sorry.”

Fred turned and left, walking quickly, ignoring Harmony’s voice calling her back. She didn’t look back until she’d reached the elevators, but Angel hadn’t tried to follow her. Breathing a sigh of relief, she leaned back against the wall.

The lab would be in good hands with Knox in charge, she thought. Leaving was probably for the best for that reason as well—she’d been feeling stifled around him lately, his attentions unwelcome.

It was for that reason that she’d timed her visit when she had. By coming in later in the evening, she was hoping to catch Angel alone, and be able to pack her things while the lab was mostly empty. Grabbing one of the discarded paper boxes, Fred began packing her personal things, taking down pictures and posters.

“What are you doing?”

Her head shot up. “Knox!” There was something about his tone that put a greater burden on her already-fraught nerves. “I thought you’d gone home.”

“What are you doing?” he repeated.

Fred straightened her shoulders. “I’m leaving. It’s personal, Knox.” She knew better than to try to explain to an outsider why she couldn’t stay.

He took a step forward. “You can’t leave,” Knox insisted. “You’re needed here. It’s coming here.”

Fred knew the light of madness better than most, and it was definitely in his eyes. “What’s coming?” she asked carefully, groping behind her for something to use as a weapon, and coming up empty.

“Illyria.” He glowered at her. “I’ve searched for years, and this is the best time, the only time. You can’t leave.”

Fred still had no idea what he was talking about, but she was fairly certain that she didn’t want to. “I’m sorry, Knox,” she said firmly. “But you don’t have any say in whether I leave or not.” She picked up the sole box she’d packed, deciding that she’d come back for the rest later, or have Gunn or Lorne pick it up. “Please get out of my way.”

Later, she was never quite certain what would have happened if Gunn hadn’t appeared fortuitously. “Fred, is everything okay?”

“Yes.” Her eyes never left Knox’s. “Knox was just leaving.”

Gunn could—and did—look menacing, even in a suit, and her lab assistant stumbled backwards out the door, looking at her with an expression that could only be described as betrayal.

“What was that about?” Gunn asked in a low voice.

She shook her head. “I have no idea. He said that something was coming, and I had to be here for it.”

He stepped farther inside the room, raising his hand as though to comfort her, then falling again. “Angel told me what was going on. I thought I’d check to see if you needed any help.”

“You’re not angry?”

Gunn shrugged. “You have every right to leave, Fred. I’m not going to be the one to hold you here if this is the right thing for you to do.”

It wasn’t quite the resounding support that she would have liked to have from at least one person. Fred couldn’t help but feel entirely alone, and it gave her a sense of déjà vu, but she couldn’t put her finger on why. “Yeah. If you want to help me carry this stuff out, that would be great.”

Handing the box to Gunn, and clutching her purse, she led the way towards the parking garage.

~~~~~

Wesley watched the girls spar with one another, alert for evidence of bad form or awkward grips on weapons that needed to be corrected. All of them had received advanced training, however, which made his job considerably less of a chore.

It would have almost been easier if they’d had to deal with some sort of trouble while Faith was gone; he wouldn’t have had the time to miss her.

“Wesley?”

He turned to see Ellen standing on the stairs to the basement. “Yes?”

“Would you come with me for a moment?”

Turning to the Slayers, he called, “I think that’s enough for today. We’ll go out tonight.” All four had identical grins on their faces at that; Wesley thought it might be better if they went to find trouble, rather than waiting for trouble to find them, as it inevitably did.

“What can I do for you?” Wesley asked as he followed her up the stairs.

Ellen looked over her shoulder. “I don’t know that I’ll be able to move Dana as quickly as we’d hoped. I was wondering if you’d mind.”

“Of course not,” he replied honestly. “As far as I’m concerned, Dana is our responsibility until she’s ready to travel.”

“I could drug her,” Ellen admitted, “but I believe it would merely slow her progress at this point.”

“And we don’t want that,” Wesley agreed immediately. “No, I think you’re absolutely right to wait if that’s what is required. Would you like me to call Giles for you?”

Ellen shook her head. “No, but thank you. There are a few things I’d like to speak to him about anyway. If you would sit with Dana while I’m doing that, however, I would appreciate it.”

He couldn’t help the frisson of apprehension that followed her suggestion. While he felt a great deal of pity for Dana, there was also a healthy dose of fear. He was well aware that she could hurt him badly without really knowing what she was doing.

As though reading his mind, Ellen said, “Don’t worry. She’s sedated, and she has been improving. I’ll introduce the two of you, and she’ll recognize you as a friend.”

“You can do that?”

Ellen merely smiled. “There are all manner of things that I can do.”

He followed her up to the room that she and Dana had been using. Although he’d offered Ellen her own space, she’d insisted on being close to her charge. Ellen ushered him inside, and Wesley spared a moment to wonder how she’d kept the Slayer inside the room without locking the door.

Not that mere locks would do much in the face of her strength.

“Dana, dear?” Ellen called. “I have a friend for you to meet.”

The girl emerged from the adjoining bathroom warily, her eyes darting to the various corners of the room, never resting on Wesley for more than a moment or two. “Who?”

“This is Wesley, Dana,” Ellen said gently, her voice taking on the same sing-song quality that Wesley had first heard her use in the institution. “He’s a Watcher. You remember that we talked about Watchers. They protect girls like you.”

He could see the raw anger on her face. “He didn’t protect _me_.”

“No one protected him,” Ellen corrected her. “And he was in no position to help you.”

Wesley froze at her first words, wondering how on earth she could know—but of course she didn’t. No one had known; the only thing that his father’s contemporaries might have been aware of was that Roger Wyndam-Pryce was a demanding parent.

Ellen waved him closer. “Peace, Dana. Just as I showed you now.” To Wesley, she said, “Hold out your hand.”

He had no idea whether this was a good idea or not, but he did as he was told, trusting her and trusting that Giles had known what he was doing by sending her.

Their hands connected, and he felt nothing more than long, thin fingers, the skin a little cool. Then Ellen put her hands over theirs, and the world seemed to explode around him.

He could see a man who looked like a monster standing in front of him, a knife in hand, and he knew that he was in for a world of pain. It twisted his insides, and he was again tied to a chair, Faith standing in front of him, a piece of broken glass in her hand.

Then he was in a closet, the darkness almost like a living thing pressing in against him, trying to swallow his frightened tears, trying not to notice the sounds of vermin scuttling about.

When Wesley came to himself, he was staring into Dana’s eyes, wide with understanding. “You too?”

“Faith has changed,” he replied, his first concern for Faith and what Dana’s reaction might be to her now that she knew what the other Slayer had done to him. “It wasn’t her fault.”

“She has seen Faith’s pain through her Slayer dreams,” Ellen said softly. “It’s yours she needed to see.”

“And what was that supposed to do?” he asked, the words coming out more harshly than he intended.

“It will allow her to see you as someone other than her torturer.”

He blinked, forced to acknowledge the importance of that distinction. “I see.”

“I’m afraid that Dana doesn’t quite understand abstract concepts,” Ellen explained, putting an apologetic hand on his shoulder. “It was easier to show her.”

“I can understand that. I just wasn’t quite prepared for the experience.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t warn you,” she replied. “I couldn’t risk your blocking me. She probably won’t attack you now, however.” Ellen rose. “I’m going to make that call to Giles.”

The older woman left the room, leaving Wesley with a Slayer who had been broken. After seeing what he had, Wesley wasn’t sure that she could be fixed.


	11. Chapter 11

“Yeah, tell him I can wait.” Faith leaned back on the couch, the silence of the house surrounding her. She couldn’t believe how much she had missed Wesley the last few days. While she felt as though she’d accomplished something meaningful, she couldn’t wait to get home.

Strange that an old, mostly empty hotel would feel like home now, but all she needed was the all clear from Giles, and she could head back to L.A.

“Faith?”

“I’m still here,” she assured Giles.

“Thank you for waiting. There was an emergency I had to deal with.”

She couldn’t help but notice that he sounded incredibly tired, and she was grateful that her news was good. “I just wanted to let you know that everything here is on track.”

He heaved a sigh of relief. “Do you think that any of the girls would do better in L.A.?”

“Not really. They’ve all bonded with Kennedy and Rachel. The only thing I’d be worried about is what their parents are going to think about the lack of adult supervision.”

“That’s a good point, and something I’ve already thought about,” he admitted. “I’ll have a Watcher and a coven member to send in a few days. If you think the girls can handle being alone for a short time, you’re free to head back to L.A.”

“I do.” Faith smiled, grateful that he hadn’t suggested she stay until the others arrived. “I’ll see if I can’t catch a flight out tonight.”

“Very well. Thank you, Faith.”

Sensing that he didn’t have much time to spare, Faith bid him farewell.

“So, we’re good?” Kennedy asked from the doorway.

Faith had been using the room Robin had used as his office. “You’re good. Giles is sending a Watcher and a witch, but I figure you guys could use the extra help here.”

“It’s his call.”

“He’s not sending them to take over.” Faith caught a hint of resentment from her, and she wanted to nip that in the bud. “Having people with those skills around could be incredibly helpful.”

Kennedy nodded. “Yeah, I guess.”

“It’s not a guess.” Faith had no idea what to say to the girl to get her point across. “Look, Wes and I are partners. It’s not about who’s in charge. These days, slaying is a team sport.”

“And there’s no I in team?” the other Slayer asked with a skeptical expression.

“Something like that.” Faith decided that another argument wasn’t worth it. “Look, Ken, you’re a big girl, and you’re going to have to learn how to play nice with others. There are a lot of Slayers, and we’re all on the same side.”

“Not all of us,” Kennedy muttered darkly and left the room, brushing past Rachel.

Rachel sat down in the chair next to the desk. “Don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine once they get here.”

“You think?”

Shrugging, Rachel explained, “She doesn’t know them, so she doesn’t trust them. After what Robin did, can you blame her?”

Faith couldn’t, so she asked, “And what about you?”

“You gotta roll with the punches,” Rachel said simply. “There’s not much else you can do.”

Faith knew how true that statement was.

~~~~~

The truth was that Ellen knew that Dana could handle the trip back to England. The problem with transferring her rehabilitation was that Ellen didn’t know that it would be beneficial. Here in L.A., Ellen could limit others’ access to the girl. The resident Slayers knew to give them a wide berth, and Dana seemed to trust Wesley at this point. When Faith returned, things might change, but until then, Ellen wanted to stay put.

She just wasn’t sure how to explain that to Giles.

“But things are going well?” he asked.

“As well as can be expected with a girl like Dana,” Ellen replied. “She’ll never be completely normal, or completely sane. The best we can hope for is to channel her rage in the appropriate direction.”

There was a pause. “I’m not certain I like the sound of that.”

“I didn’t expect that you would.” Ellen wasn’t quite sure how to explain it in terms that he would understand and that wouldn’t alarm him. “She’s been damaged, Rupert. The best you can hope for is that she’ll use her abilities to serve the greater good.”

“I have to admit that I was hoping for better news.”

“There is hope for her,” Ellen pointed out. “I should think that would be good news enough, given what she’s gone through.”

“True.” There was a moment of silence, then Giles said, “I trust that you know what you’re doing. If you feel the need to remain in Los Angeles, then I think you should do so.”

“Thank you.” It felt good to know that she had _carte blanche_ where Dana was concerned. In certain situations, too many cooks spoiled the soup, and Dana was a particularly tricky problem.

“Please keep me updated,” Giles requested, then said farewell in a distracted manner. Ellen thought that he was likely already moving on to the next crisis.

She hung up the phone, knowing that she would be dealing with the problem of Dana for the long haul. There was no one else with any hope of handling her, as Miriam had pointed out. For one lost girl, Ellen had braved her fear of flying, the discomfort of being around those who had no idea how much emotion they projected on a regular basis, the physical pain of being away from the coven and those who understood her talent.

Ellen came for one lost girl because she had been one herself, and because she had known that Dana was integral. If they lost her to the darkness, there was no telling what would happen next.

Not that there was any telling now.

~~~~~

Wesley had been surprised to hear that Faith was coming back so soon, although not unpleasantly so. His intention had been to take the girls out hunting, and all four were antsy from being cooped up for the last couple of days, so he’d made the difficult decision to ensure a car was ready for her.

“I’m sorry I can’t be there,” he said, with real regret. “I’d already told the other girls—”

“Forget it, Wes,” Faith replied, cutting him off. “I’m a big girl. I think I can get myself back to the hotel.”

Their relationship wasn’t one where he could ask whether she was angry at him; if he did, she’d likely scoff and point out that they didn’t so much have a relationship as a partnership. Still, he wished he could see her face, as he’d become fairly adept at reading her. It was mostly the eyes—her eyes told him everything.

“Perhaps you could join us when you get in?” he suggested tentatively. “If you’d like to call, I can let you know where we are.”

“So I can provide a distraction? No, that’s okay. I figure I’m due some space after dealing with Kennedy for the last few days.”

“Was it that bad?”

“No, but she’s prickly, and a little pissed off that Giles is sending more people. I can’t really blame her, since I’d probably feel the same in her place.”

Wesley didn’t bother pointing out that Giles wasn’t planning to replace Kennedy; he was sure that Faith knew that, and had probably said as much. He’d had his own difficulties with leadership, so he thought he could see the problem. “Perhaps I’ll see you when we return, then.”

“Yeah, sure. You know where to find me.”

She ended the call at that point, leaving him rather confused. It wasn’t quite the open invitation that he’d hoped for, but then again, perhaps that’s as much as Faith was willing or able to give him at this point.

“What time are we leaving?” Caridad asked, sticking her head into the office.

“As soon as you can round up the other girls,” he replied. “The demon infestation that Gunn told me about is about an hour’s drive away, and I’d rather arrive while there’s still daylight.”

“How many of these demons are we talking about?” she asked.

Wesley shook his head. “I’m not sure. I’ll be bringing a few things that should help, however.”

She shrugged. “You’re the boss.”

He didn’t bother arguing with her, although that wasn’t precisely true. Of course, Faith was gone, which left him in charge. Wesley shook his head, still unable to believe how far he’d come.

The phone rang again, and he picked it up automatically. They had decided to do without caller I.D., if only because of the cost. If Wesley had known who was calling, he probably wouldn’t have taken the call.

“Hello?” They didn’t have a name for the hotel or the business—if that’s what they were running—and so he didn’t bother to identify himself. It was either a wrong number or someone who knew either him or Faith.

“Wesley?”

He sat up a little straighter in his chair. “Father? How did you get this number?”

“Rupert informed me today that you’re working for the Council again.” His father’s voice was gruff, with no hint of pride or approval. “He told me where I could contact you.”

Wesley supposed he should have asked Giles to keep his whereabouts quiet if he’d not wanted his father to know. “How are you?”

“How am I? I find out that my son has been given charge of five Slayers, and he hasn’t seen fit to so much as call.”

Wesley just managed to bite back the bitter words on his tongue. “I’m sorry, but we’ve been a bit busy recently.”

“Yes, I heard you were fired again.”

For a moment, Wesley gave serious consideration to hanging up, but then decided it would only make more trouble in the future. “I quit. There’s a slight difference,” he replied dryly.

“It’s about time you came to your senses about that vampire,” Roger Wyndam-Pryce replied. “And that you decided to do your part. I still think that you’d be better off in a researcher’s position, and I told Rupert as much, but—”

“I’m sorry, Father, but one of the girls is looking for me. I really must go. Tell Mother I said hello.” He got the words out in a rush, knowing that Roger would find any way to extend the conversation with more unwanted commentary and advice.

“Wow. And I thought that my parents were harsh,” Caridad commented from the doorway.

Glancing up, Wesley realized that all four girls were standing there with sympathetic expressions, and he sighed. His father’s voice had always carried well, and Slayers tended to have very acute hearing. “My family has been involved with the Council for a very long time,” he finally said rather lamely.

Uta shrugged. “We figured. I mean, with the hyphenated name, it had to be some sort of family merger, right?”

“Hyphenated names are a lot more common in Britain,” Leslie said before Wesley could admit that that was exactly what it had been. Not quite an arranged marriage, but close; both the Wyndams and the Pryces had always been dutiful.

“Can you imagine filling in those stupid bubble sheets for tests with a hyphenated name?” Phoebe asked, leading the way out of the office. “It would take forever with a name like that.”

Wesley watched them leave, feeling absurdly grateful for their tact.

~~~~~

Angel couldn’t quite believe how quickly everything had changed. He didn’t regret coming to the law firm, not when it meant that Connor was safe and sane, but he had never intended to lose his friends. Then again, when he’d made the choice and accepted Lilah’s offer, he hadn’t consulted anyone else, so perhaps it was fitting now.

“I can’t blame Fred for leaving, Cordy,” he murmured, keeping his voice down to prevent being overheard. “You probably would have kicked my ass, but I didn’t know what else to do, and now…”

He trailed off, knowing that now there wasn’t anything he could do but go through the motions, trying somehow to bring some good out of the situation. At first, Angel had believed that by being there they would change things, but he was no longer so certain.

“Angel?”

He half-turned in his chair to see Lorne standing in the doorway. “Yeah?”

“I think we need to talk.”

Angel knew that look, and he knew that tone of voice. Whatever Lorne was going to say wasn’t going to make him very happy, but Angel didn’t think he had a choice but to listen. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Can it wait?”

“I don’t think so,” Lorne said carefully. “I know this is your time with Cordelia, but there’s something you really need to hear.”

Angel stood, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he left. It was the most he would allow himself, although he suspected that if her body hadn’t been hijacked, she would have returned his affection.

“What is it?” he growled.

“Come on.”

Lorne led him through the labyrinthine hallways of the medical wing and then outside into the night air. Angel hadn’t even noticed that the sun had gone down. When had he become so insulated from the outside world that he didn’t even notice the light?

“You’ve been playing it pretty safe up there in your ivory tower,” Lorne commented as soon as they were out on the street.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Angel shot back, although he knew it was a lie.

The green-skinned demon gave him a dubious look. “I know you have a thick skull, but I didn’t think you were that dense. You have no idea what’s going on, do you?”

“There’s a war coming,” Angel finally said after a long pause. He hadn’t said the words out loud before. “And I’m on the wrong side.”

“You finally figured that out?”

“I knew what I was doing when I came to work here, Lorne.” Angel was tired—tired of the lies, of pretending that he had lost nothing by coming to Wolfram &amp; Hart, when in reality he’d lost everything.

Lorne’s expression was compassionate, but his words were firm. “You might have thought that you were saving Connor, but there’s more to the world than just one person, Angel.”

“He was my world,” was his only reply.

There was a long silence after that as Lorne digested that statement. “Fair enough,” he finally said. “You know that someone put a hit out on Faith?”

“I knew.”

“Do you know who?”

Angel was quiet. “Yes.”

“And you haven’t bothered telling anyone?”

“I’m not sure what will happen if I do,” he said honestly.

Lorne’s red eyes went wide. “This has something to do with the person who put the spell on Connor, doesn’t it?”

“And he can take it off any time he wants to.” Angel refused to meet Lorne’s eyes. “I won’t risk my son’s life.”

“Tell me, Angel,” Lorne said in a low voice. “What kind of man would you want your son to be? One who faces his problems, or one who lets others die in his place because he couldn’t make a hard decision?”

The question came as a punch in the gut. Angel was suddenly reminded of Wesley’s pale face against white sheets, the rough fabric of the pillowcase against his hands, his friend’s weak struggles to breathe.

Wesley had made the hard decision, and it had cost Angel his son. Now, Angel was faced with a similar dilemma—to risk Connor, and therefore render his own sacrifice meaningless, or allow Faith to be hunted down.

He was fairly certain that no one else knew about Vail. The demon wizard preferred to keep a low profile.

“His name is Vail,” Angel said. “Wesley should be able to get all the information he needs with that.”

“Angel—”

Angel turned haunted eyes to Lorne. “Do you think I didn’t know what I was getting into by signing that contract? I’ve lost Cordelia and Connor. Why should I bother to fight?”

“Because there are a lot of innocents who are going to die if you don’t,” Lorne said. “And plenty more who aren’t that innocent. For whatever reason, the Senior Partners think that Faith is important, and she doesn’t deserve to die. Not even for your son.”

Lorne paused, as though to let that statement sink in, then added, “No one does, Angel.”

When the anagogic demon turned to walk away, Angel called him back. “Wait. Was there something else?”

“Gunn said your current lab director was acting pretty strange towards Fred as she was trying to leave earlier,” Lorne informed him. “You may want to take a closer look at him. I read him, but it’s possible that I missed something.”

Angel knew that Lorne was probably right, but he wasn’t sure that he could handle one more person to worry about.


	12. Chapter 12

Faith wasn’t sure how she felt about Wesley not meeting her at the airport. It wasn’t as though she didn’t understand that he had responsibilities to the girls, but there was a small part of her that wished he’d dropped everything.

Although, there was another part of her that was happy he hadn’t, because it would have felt too serious.

When she walked into the hotel, silence greeted her. The girls would be out with Wes, and Ellen and Dana would be in their room, which meant that she essentially had the place to herself. After giving a moment’s consideration to calling Wesley and finding out where they were at, Faith thought of something better to do.

Fifteen minutes later, she was up to her neck in hot water, letting tight muscles relax for the first time in a week. Faith hadn’t realized how tense she’d been being around Kennedy and Rachel, dealing with all of those old emotions. She’d come to terms with the deputy mayor’s death years ago—or so she’d thought.

Seeing Kennedy struggle with many of the same emotions reminded her that there were some burdens that it was impossible to put down, even after years had passed.

There had been very little privacy in the old house, not with six other girls sharing one and a half bathrooms. The old hotel didn’t have that problem, and Faith could luxuriate in hot water to her heart’s content.

A hot bath was another thing that being in prison had taught her to value. There certainly hadn’t been a chance to enjoy that sort of thing behind bars.

When the water started to cool, Faith simply ran more hot water, opening the drain a for a moment to prevent the tub from overflowing, then leaned back against the ledge.

It could have been moments later or hours later, but it was Wesley’s voice that intruded. “You know, if you stay in there long enough, you’ll turn into a prune.”

“As long as it’s not a prude, I don’t care.” She cracked open one eye. “When did you get back in?”

“Just a bit ago. When Ellen said that she hadn’t seen you, I thought I’d check to be sure you hadn’t drowned.”

Faith realized belatedly that she must have dozed off, because the water was now completely cold, and most of the bubbles had dissolved. “I’ve got to wash my hair,” she said, watching in amusement as Wesley turned to go, apparently out of consideration for her modesty.

“I’ll just—”

“Join me?” she suggested archly, having noticed that whatever trouble he and the girls had found, it had left him more than a bit grimy. “I’ll let you scrub my back.”

He turned, the heat in his eyes causing her skin to flush. “Oh, you will?”

“Everyone needs help with those hard-to-reach places.”

“Then I assume you’ll do the same for me?”

“Only if you tell me where you’ve been.”

Wesley closed the door behind him and began undressing slowly. “We had a spot of trouble with one of the demonic problems that Gunn told me about.”

“Nothing you couldn’t handle, though.”

“No, everyone came through without any problems.”

Faith’s eyes widened when she saw the long scratch down the length of his left arm, already red and swollen. “That’s what you call ‘without any problems?’”

“It’s just a scratch.” He sighed. “Although I imagine I’ll be experiencing some rather interesting side effects tomorrow, as it was a Goresh demon.”

Faith felt her stomach clench. “What kind of side effects?”

“A fever, nausea, the usual with poison.” He shrugged. “It’s not fatal.”

“It had better not be,” Faith replied, striving for levity. “I’d hate to have to break in a new Watcher.”

“I’m sure.” His tone was dry as the last of his clothing hit the floor. “I would hate to inconvenience you.”

“There’s also the fact that you’re kinda handy to have around,” Faith replied, standing up and gasping as his hands gripped her around the waist to steady her, then moved to her breasts. “No pun intended.”

His lips were already busy, teeth and hands working on her flesh, and the heat in her belly spread. She grasped his bare shoulders, hanging on tightly to avoid slipping. When he stepped inside the tub as well, she just managed to close the shower curtain and turn on the water.

Faith couldn’t quite believe how much it felt like coming home, to have his naked form pressing her against the tile, to feel the hot water as it beat against them both.

“I missed you.”

He was the one to speak the words, and although she shared the sentiment, she couldn’t quite bring herself to respond in kind. Instead, she gripped him more tightly yet, letting her body profess what her lips could not.

~~~~~

“Please tell me that you can’t hear that.”

Uta’s voice broke into Leslie’s thoughts. She’d been reading a book on demonology that Wesley had recommended, and had been considering some of the information in light of the evening’s events.

Whatever the others thought of the Watcher, as suspicious as Caridad was of his attentions to Faith, she liked him. He was tough and smart, and he didn’t act as though it was at all odd for a Slayer to like to read. Sometimes she’d thought that Robin Wood had spent too long as a principal, because he seemed to have an innate suspicion of all teenagers, and generally thought that they were all stupid and uneducated.

Leslie had been an honor student before she was Chosen, so she’d resented his assumptions.

“Hear what?” she asked.

“Oh, good.” Uta came into the room and plopped onto the bed next to her. “You know, if I’d known there’d be action going on next door that didn’t involve me, I’d have picked a different room.”

Leslie’s eyebrows went up. “Things are going bump in the night, I take it?”

“Yep. Not saying I blame them, since Faith’s been gone for the last week, but I’d like to be able to sleep sometime tonight.”

She leaned over and fished around in the drawer of her bedside table. “Here.”

“Earplugs?” Uta asked. “Where did you get these?”

“For Faith and Robin. I had the room right next door to them, although they weren’t going at it all that much there at the end.”

The other Slayer crossed her legs, apparently settling in for a good, long gossip session. “You cool with being here?”

Leslie shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. You’ve been kind of quiet lately.”

“I heard from my parents the other day.”

They hadn’t understood her being a Slayer; her parents had wanted her to go to college, and then on to get some kind of professional degree. They’d had high hopes for her, and saving the world wasn’t included in those expectations.

“Parents are weird about this shit,” Uta agreed. “I mean, mine were cool with it, because they already knew it was a possibility, but they had a long time to come to terms with it.”

“Mine haven’t.” Leslie shook her head. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“You wouldn’t have to be here, you know,” Uta pointed out. “I’m not saying that I want you to leave, or think you should, but it’s a possibility.”

“No, it’s not.” That much she was sure about. “My parents always told me that it would be a shame to waste my gifts, and that hasn’t changed. I just have different gifts than they thought.”

Uta frowned. “What if you went to college here? You could, right? I’ll bet Wes would be on board for that. He seems to like books.”

It was something she’d considered, but Leslie felt that right now she had to concentrate on her training. With demons coming after them at every turn, and death a real possibility, her sole responsibility needed to be getting the most training she could. “Maybe someday.” Wanting to change the subject, she asked, “You hungry?”

“God, yes,” Uta replied fervently. “Come on. I’ll get the others, and we can stage a raid on the kitchen.” She grinned. “Maybe Wes and Faith will cool it by the time we’ve finished eating.”

Leslie just shook her head, knowing that it was probably wishful thinking on her friend’s part.

~~~~~

Fred frowned at her computer screen. She’d decided to do a little research on memory spells, and had run across a reference to the Senior Partners on one of the supernatural forums. The thread was full of references to Wolfram &amp; Hart, mostly offering suggestions for how to avoid drawing the law firm’s attention.

What she really wanted to know was nowhere to be found, however, which was how to hurt them. Fred wanted to know how to get to them, how to stop them, if it came to a fight.

As far as she could tell, it was only a matter of time.

Among the references to the Senior Partners were mentions of a group called the BT, which Fred assumed was short for something. “The BT?” she murmured, beginning yet another search, this time focusing on that term.

It took some time, but she saw a quick post on another forum about “the Black Thorn,” but no more than that. She still had no idea who they were, what they did, or what sort of power they held. Then again, it was fairly clear that no one wanted to talk about them because of how dangerous they ostensibly were.

The knock at her door surprised her, and Fred hesitated before rising. Her confrontation with Knox had shaken her badly, more than she’d wanted to admit to Gunn. Looking through the peephole, Fred saw Charles standing there, hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. She hadn’t seem him wearing clothing this casual since they’d started working at the law firm.

“Hi,” she said, opening the door.

“Hey. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine.” She stood aside to allow him entrance. “How are you?”

“Good.” Gunn stepped inside and looked around. “Cozy place you’ve got here.”

“I don’t need much,” she replied, knowing that he was referring to the fact that it was an apartment in an old Victorian house that had been subdivided. She could have gone for something much nicer, she supposed, what with what she’d been earning, but now she was glad that she’d opted for cozy.

In truth, she’d fallen in love with the dormer windows and low ceiling of the bedroom because it had reminded her of home, of Texas.

“Yeah.”

Somehow Fred knew that Charles would have chosen something posh and modern because he’d never had much. She understood that, too.

“What are you doing here, Charles?” she asked.

He wandered over to the window that overlooked a postage-stamp sized yard. “I don’t know. I didn’t really want to stay at the office late again.”

“Do you want to help me?” she asked. “I’m trying to find information on the Senior Partners and some group called the Black Thorn. I can’t find much, though.”

“Lorne got some information out of Angel today,” Gunn said abruptly.

Fred blinked. His statement had seemed to come out of the blue. “Okay.”

“The guy that called the hit on Faith is named Vail. I tried calling Wes, but he’s not answering right now, so I thought maybe we could work on finding info on him. I didn’t think that it was a good idea to do it from the office.”

“Probably not.” Fred wrapped her arms around herself tightly. “Are you happy there?”

Gunn looked at her, his eyes haunted. “No.”

“Then why are you staying?”

“I can’t leave now,” Gunn replied. “If I do, Angel won’t have anybody left there.”

“He’ll have Lorne.”

“That’s not the same.”

“I guess not.”

“What if I leave and the knowledge goes, too?”

Fred knew that he was voicing his real fear about leaving, and she thought for a moment about what it would be like to lose what she knew about physics—to be really smart, and then not to be suddenly. She knew that it would be worse than losing a limb in a way.

“You were smart before, Gunn.”

“Not like this.”

“No, not like that, but—what else did they give you, Charles? What did that memory spell do to us to make us okay with working there?” Those were the questions that haunted her the most. She wondered if she was really her, or if losing her memories had fundamentally changed her.

Gunn swallowed audibly. “I can’t lose this, Fred.”

Knowing that arguing wasn’t going to get them anywhere, she nodded. “I know. Let’s see what we can find out about this Vail guy. Maybe he has something to do with the Senior Partners or the Black Thorn, too.”

~~~~~

Wesley woke up to find Faith straddling his middle, holding him down. “You good?” she asked, as soon as his eyes focused on her.

“What—” He shook his head, realizing that he was sweat-soaked and that every muscle in his body ached.

“You weren’t kidding about the side effects, were you?” Faith asked conversationally, climbing off of him. “Stay put.”

He did as he was told, still trying to figure out why she’d been holding him down, and finally recalling the nightmare he’d been having. He’d been fighting against three demons holding him back, watching as a fourth killed one Slayer after another right in front of him.

In his nightmares, Wesley was always a failure.

“The girls told me that you got a call from your father yesterday,” Faith said.

Wesley shook his head to clear it. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Well, it’s five—in the afternoon. I’ll let you do the math, since you’re probably better at it than I am.”

He realized that it had been well over twelve hours, although he couldn’t say for sure when he and Faith had finally gone to sleep. “Why did you let me sleep so long?”

She draped a cold cloth across his forehead. “Side effects, remember? I figured that as long as you were sleeping, you probably wouldn’t be quite as miserable.”

He had to agree with that; every moment he was awake brought home just how much he hurt.

“And you didn’t tell me that you got that scratch down your arm playing human shield,” Faith added with a raised eyebrow. “Come on, Wes. You know better than that.”

“It wouldn’t have been down her arm,” he said hoarsely. “More of the poison in the system means a longer recovery time, and I’m expendable.”

She snorted. “You’re feeling sorry for yourself, you mean. I think you’ve got it backwards, moron. We have plenty of Slayers and not very many Watchers, which makes you the least expendable of all of us.”

Faith handed him a glass of water, watching as he drank greedily. “Look, I don’t know what went down last night. Caridad told me that the demon was after her, and you deliberately got in the way. If you wanted to play hero, fine, but don’t go getting a death wish on me now.”

It was a fair rebuke, he had to admit, if only to himself. In truth, Wesley hadn’t been thinking very clearly when he’d reacted; all he’d known was that he wasn’t about to give his father a reason to think he couldn’t handle being a Watcher to five Slayers.

“Sorry.”

“Whatever.” She shrugged off his apology. “You gonna be okay here by yourself for a bit? We’re heading out to see if we can’t kick some more demon ass.”

“Be careful,” he replied. Wesley would have preferred her to stay, but he knew that she had her duties, and she wasn’t naturally inclined to wait around.

Faith smirked at him. “More careful than you,” she promised, then kissed him on the forehead.

The curiously maternal nature of the gesture touched him, and Wesley found himself speechless, unable to respond.

He lay there a few minutes longer, debating on whether or not to get up or try to go back to sleep, but he was awake now. Rising slowly, feeling every ache acutely, he went to shower, hoping that the hot water would ease the soreness in his joints.

A half an hour later, he was sipping a cup of tea in his office, feeling just a bit better, and looking at the sheet of paper that Fred had delivered. Willow had suggested using an Orlon Window to bring back their missing memories, but Wesley had deliberately put the problem out of his mind while Faith was away.

All of them needed to be present for the spell—although it wasn’t much of a spell. All a person would need to do was to smash the device in the presence of all involved, and the memories would apparently come flooding back.

Wesley couldn’t deny that they likely needed those memories, particularly if they were going to find a way to get Angel out of Wolfram &amp; Hart without harming his son, but he still hesitated. Something told him that there were things that he didn’t want to remember.

Running his fingers along the scar on the side of his neck, he took a deep breath, then began jotting down a list of the things they would need.

Perhaps restoring their memories was a mistake, but Wesley didn’t think that they had another choice at present.


	13. Chapter 13

Faith hadn’t realized that she’d missed the Los Angeles contingent of Slayers until her return, listening to their eager recitation of gossip. They told her as much as they knew about Ellen and Dana—the two of them were definitely staying for a while—about training with Wesley, his phone call from his father, and the fight with the Goresh.

Although Faith hated to see him sick, she had to admit that his little stunt had done some good; Caridad clearly no longer had reservations about him, and the other three were firmly in his corner.

They were becoming a unit, she realized. A real, honest-to-goodness family.

The vampire hunt she took the girls out on was more successful than she’d wanted it to be; they had found a number of vampires, but she had been jumped by three demons who were clearly out for her blood. If she’d been alone, Faith wasn’t sure she would have survived. With four other Slayers backing her, it wasn’t an issue.

“Don’t tell Wes about the demons tonight,” Faith cautioned the others as they entered the Hyperion. “No point in worrying him.”

The sound of a throat being cleared had her wincing. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Wesley was leaning against the front desk, Ellen standing next to him. Dana was wandering around the lobby, looking better than she had before Faith had left for Cleveland.

“I thought you were supposed to be in bed. Recovering” Faith leaned against the counter next to him.

He refused to look at her. “I slept all day. Besides, I’m feeling better.”

Faith gave Ellen a questioning look, and the other woman shrugged. “It probably won’t hurt him to be up and about for a bit,” she said. “Although he would likely be better off resting.”

Wesley responded by giving her a dirty look, then sighed. “As soon as we get the shopping list done,” he promised.

“Shopping list for what?” Uta asked. “Because I’m going to vote for spaghetti if we’re talking groceries.”

“Always thinking with your stomach,” Leslie teased, leaning in to look from the other side of the desk. “Magic stuff?”

“It’s for an Orlon Window,” Wesley replied. “To restore our memories.”

Faith frowned. “You’re doing it?”

“I’m going to try,” he responded. “I don’t know how successful I’ll be.”

Caridad shook her head. “What happens if this screws everything up?”

“More than it is already?” Wesley asked dryly.

“Hey, it could always get worse,” Phoebe inserted. “And as soon as you say it can’t, you’ve gone and jinxed yourself.”

“Good point.” Faith grabbed Wesley’s arm. “Maybe Ellen can finish it up while we talk,” she suggested, pulling him towards the office.

She noticed that he was slumped on the couch by the time she had closed the door, and she took a seat next to him. “You’re not a Slayer, you know.”

“I know.”

“And you don’t have Slayer healing, so you can take recovery time without looking like a wimp.”

“Thanks for that.”

She looked over at him. Wesley had his eyes closed, and she could see the lines that pain had created on his face. “You look like shit.”

“That’s nice to know.”

“What are we doing here, Wes?”

He cracked one blue eye. “What are you referring to?”

“The window-thing, restoring our memories, all of that. Maybe we should focus on something else first.”

Wesley held up a fist, counting the factors off as he named them. “We know that Angel made a deal with Wolfram and Hart that involved our memories. Things are out of balance, so there is more demonic activity, possibly more than we can handle, and they are making it their business to kill Slayers. Someone placed a hit on you specifically, which indicates that you have an important role in what’s to come. And there’s the possibility that the Senior Partners are taking advantage of the imbalance for their own ends, which is likely an apocalypse of some sort.”

Faith swallowed. Hearing it all laid out like that just emphasized how very little was under their control. “So your point is that we should start with what we can do something about?”

“Something like that.” He sighed. “I don’t know, Faith. If you have a better idea, I’d be happy to listen.”

It was evidence of how far they’d come that she didn’t get defensive or pissed off. Instead, she just leaned her head back against the couch as well. “No, not really.”

There was a brief knock on the door, and Caridad stuck her head in. “Wes? Gunn and Fred are here.”

“Send them in,” he told her, sitting up and trying to smooth his rumpled shirt. Faith didn’t bother telling him that it wasn’t going to do any good; he still looked like hell, and there was no hiding it.

“What happened to you?” Gunn asked immediately.

Fred’s hands fluttered, as though she wanted to do something but wasn’t sure what. “You look awful, Wesley!”

He cleared his throat. “It’s just the flu. I’m sure I’ll be fine in a day or two.”

“Maybe we should come back some other time,” Gunn suggested. “If you’re sick—”

“He was poisoned,” Faith corrected him. “Saving one of the Slayers. He just doesn’t want to cop to playing the hero.”

“I wasn’t—”

Faith hushed him with a look. “What’s up, Gunn?”

“We know who put the hit out on you,” he said without preamble. “And we think we have some idea why.”

~~~~~

They had worked all night, and Gunn thought it had been like old times, when they were all close, like family. For a little while he could forget that they were working for the enemy now, that they were all on different teams—if not different sides.

For a while, he could forget that he and Fred were no longer together for reasons he could no longer remember. At least he didn’t think he could remember them. He was beginning to realize exactly how much he didn’t understand about everything that had gone on, everything that had changed.

Every time he tried to recall some specific detail of the previous year, Gunn found it slipping away, and he wondered if he would have even noticed it had Wesley and Faith not discovered that their memories had been tampered with.

After spending all night with Fred, researching the Black Thorn, the Senior Partners, and Vail, Gunn had no desire to go into work, so he canceled his appointments for the day. Although they hadn’t been able to find as much information as he would have liked, there was enough to present to Wesley.

Wesley was, after all, the research guru. What they couldn’t find, he might be able to locate through another source.

“You think we should go over there now?” Gunn asked around noon.

Fred shook her head, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, Charles, but I’m beat. Do you mind if I take a nap?”

“Nah, that’s fine. You mind if I take your couch?”

“No! Go ahead.” Fred suddenly looked shy. “Unless you want the bed.”

“I’ll be good on the couch.”

“Okay.”

They stared at one another, and Gunn felt the old attraction flicker between them. He wondered if it would work between them this time, if they knew each other better. Then again, maybe they didn’t know each other at all without those memories; there might be something crucial there.

“I’ll just—” Fred began, pointing towards her room.

“Yeah.”

He hadn’t actually been able to sleep; Gunn had lain on her couch thinking of what they had discovered, and if he could possibly stay at the law firm knowing what he did now.

How could Angel have agreed to work there? And why had they followed him so blindly?

“Gunn?”

He sat up and looked over at Fred standing there, her dark eyes still sleepy, and her hair just a bit tousled. Gunn felt his heart skip a beat, and he took a deep breath. Now was definitely not the time to start up their relationship again, not when it could easily be based on something that wasn’t really there.

“You ready to go?” he asked, glancing at the clock. It was after five, so he thought it would probably be safe enough to head over the hotel. The sun was beginning to set, so at least some of the Slayers would be out, but that might be for the best.

“Can we get something to eat on the way?” she asked, sounding plaintive. “I don’t remember the last time I ate.”

Gunn realized that he could say the same, and that he was starving as well. “Yeah.”

They lost track of time during dinner, which was why it was much later than they’d planned before they arrived at the hotel. But they caught both Faith and Wes there, so Gunn decided that it was probably for the best. Blurting out the reason for their visit had been the only way he knew of to immediately get Wes’ attention, and possibly his trust.

He knew how suspiciously both Wes and Faith regarded his continued employment with the law firm.

At his announcement, Wesley leaned back against the couch heavily. “How did you discover who was responsible?”

“Lorne managed to get it out of Angel. He said that he sensed Angel knew more than he was telling us.”

“Wait,” Faith said, holding up a hand, her face hardening. “Angel knew who put the hit out on me, and he didn’t say anything?”

“Faith,” Wesley began.

She shook her head, cutting him off. “No, don’t say it. I don’t care why he did it.”

Gunn decided that it was time for a better explanation. “He did it because it was the same guy who erased our memories.”

Wesley frowned. “Just a moment. The person who put the hit on Faith is the same one who also erased our memories?”

“Lorne said Angel was worried about what would happen if we went after Vail,” Gunn said.

“Fuck,” Faith said succinctly.

Wesley raised an eyebrow. “Well put.”

She snarled at him, and Gunn noticed that Wesley’s expression remained impassive. “Faith, sit,” he said gently.

The Slayer did so slowly, putting her head in her hands. “What else?”

Gunn knew that it probably felt like a betrayal to know that Angel had had information like this and hadn’t told them. “Vail is a member of the Black Thorn,” Fred explained. “They’re kind of like the board of executives. We couldn’t get a straight answer on whether they’re the Senior Partners, or people who serve them.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Faith demanded. “So we know he’s a sorcerer. Big deal.”

“The big deal is that he could probably turn us all into toads without even trying,” Gunn responded. “But the fact that he put a price on Faith’s head says that he has a special interest in her.”

“That begs the question of why a sorcerer would need to use such mundane methods to kill Faith, if that’s truly his intention,” Wesley murmured.

“Maybe he doesn’t want her dead,” Fred pointed out.

“What else would it mean?” Faith asked.

The other woman shrugged. “Maybe he wanted to keep her busy, and keep Wesley busy. It’s a lot harder to focus on Wolfram and Hart when you’re fighting off demons at every turn.”

Wesley held up a hand. “Putting that aside for the moment, we know that Vail is a member of the Black Thorn, and that they are somehow connected to the Senior Partners. I think that’s enough to know that he is our enemy, and that he must be dealt with.”

“What if we kill him?” Fred asked. “That would take care of the assassins, and maybe it would free Angel up to leave. If his son was safe—”

Faith shook her head. “I can handle demons coming after me. I’m used to it. I think we need to get our memories back before we start messing around with the kid.”

“Can we?” Fred asked.

“I believe that I can create an Orlon Window,” Wesley replied. “Once we collect the necessary ingredients, I can begin work on it.”

“After you’re recovered,” Faith put in.

“How long is that going to be?” Fred asked.

Faith shot her a look. “As long as it takes.”

“The poison should run its course in another day or two,” Wesley said mildly. “It will likely take longer for us to find everything we need.”

“Take the time you need,” Gunn replied. “We’re in a holding pattern right now. Soon as we break this spell, who knows what will happen?”

And that was the part that worried him.

~~~~~

“Would you like to tell me what’s really upsetting you?” Wesley knew he was taking a risk by asking the question. It wasn’t as though their relationship was precisely defined, nor was it the sort where he could easily show his concern.

He knew how Faith felt about Angel, however. He’d been there when she’d refused to kill Angelus, no matter what. Even when half-dead, she preferred to risk her life again and again rather than run a stake through him, as long as there was any chance at all of re-ensouling him.

Angel’s actions would feel like a betrayal.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” Faith asked, her tone intentionally snide.

Wesley let her words and her tone roll off his back, knowing that she tended to strike out when upset or hurt, whereas he tended to pull back. “As I mentioned earlier, I slept all day. I’m not feeling particularly tired.”

She headed for the door of the room that was almost—but not quite—theirs. “I can’t be here.”

“Is it that hard?”

Faith stopped cold. “Is what hard?”

“Trusting me.”

Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know what to tell you, Wes. I was never the sharing kind.”

“Neither am I.” Wesley rose from the bed and approached cautiously. “But perhaps we could try it this once. If it’s that terrible, we never have to do it again.”

She turned to look at him, one corner of her mouth tilting up in a smile. “You really know how to get under a person’s skin, you know?”

“I’ve been told that before.” Now that it felt a little safer, he risked touching her, running the back of his hand across her cheek. “We’re partners, you know.”

Faith didn’t respond right away.

“Aren’t we?” he pressed.

“Yeah. It’s just—I’m solo girl.”

“I know.”

“God, Wes. He knew.”

The emotion in her voice tore at him. Wesley could hear the hurt there, and he knew that Angel had a lot to answer for. “Yes, he did.”

“I know it’s his kid. I guess I get that. Not that I’ve ever had any, but I can see why he’d want to protect him.” Faith pulled back, beginning to pace the room. “I thought we were more to each other than that, though.”

Wesley sat back down on the bed, feeling too tired to do anything else at the moment. “You were. I think that you are, but it’s hard to say how working at Wolfram and Hart has affected his judgment.”

“And it didn’t affect yours?” she asked.

Wesley shrugged, uncomfortable with the question. “Perhaps it did. It’s hard to say.”

“What are we doing here, Wes?”

He watched her as she stood next to the window, looking out. How was it possible that she had become the one person he trusted, Wesley wondered. “We’re doing the best we can.”

She nodded slowly. “We need to do the memory spell. I wasn’t sure before, but I think that should be our first priority now.”

“And Vail?”

“Figure he’s been around awhile,” she responded. “He’ll keep.” Faith turned back to look at him. “Maybe we should open the doors again.”

“What do you mean?”

“We could make this a business,” she suggested. “I know we’re supposed to be training Slayers here, but that would be a way to do it, right? And they’d get paid for it, which could take some of the pressure off. Even if we only made enough to cover the upkeep for this place, it would be worth it.”

“The Council agreed to pay the upkeep,” Wesley countered. “I don’t think that’s an issue.”

Faith snorted. “And what if the money runs out? Or the Council doesn’t want to keep paying for this place? We could end up with the rug pulled out from under us.”

Wesley frowned slightly. “Do you really think they would?”

“It could happen.”

She didn’t trust anyone, Wesley realized, except perhaps for him. Plus, there were so many things that they couldn’t possibly control. If this allowed Faith a measure of security, he was willing to indulge her. Besides, as she’d said, it would be good training for the girls.

“It’s up to you,” Wesley replied. “Whatever you decide, I’m behind you.”

“It’s a big city,” Faith said quietly. “There have got to be people out there who could use our help.”

“And that would make you feel better,” he said knowingly.

“I’d feel like I was doing something other than treading water,” she agreed, coming over to sit on the bed next to him. “You really should get some more sleep.” Faith smirked. “I know you’re tired.”

Wesley sighed. “A bit.”

“Being sick sucks,” she observed.

“It does.”

Faith traced his jaw with her finger. “Thanks.”

Wesley decided not to ask what she was thankful for. The expression on her face was enough.


	14. Chapter 14

Faith was staring at the computer screen, trying to decide how to respond to Buffy’s questions. The other Slayer wanted to know how things were going in L.A., how Faith was dealing with Robin’s death, and how she was handling working with Wesley. It was that last question that was giving her some trouble, because she had no idea how much Buffy knew, or how much to tell her.

Faith could honestly say that her relationship with Wesley was the most stable one she’d ever had. He was good to her, and good for her, and he took care of her when he could without smothering her.

There were moments when she wondered how the hell she’d ended up here, happy.

In the end, she sent back an email saying only that she and Wesley worked well together, and that things were good. She wasn’t prepared to say more than that.

“Are you ready?”

She looked up at Wesley standing on the other side of the hotel’s front desk. “It’s done?”

He nodded. “I believe so, although it’s impossible to say whether it will work until we try it.”

“Have you called the others?”

“Not yet. I wanted to check with you first.”

Faith raised her eyebrows. “Seriously?”

“Of course.”

She snorted. “You’re sounding like we’re married or something.”

“Not married, partners,” Wesley replied. “Which some might argue is the same thing.” His raised eyebrow dared her to argue with him.

She shrugged. “We are sleeping together, and some might argue that married couples don’t do that.”

His lips turned up in a smile. “So, shall I call?”

“Go for it. Might as well get this over with.” Faith wasn’t entirely sure she was ready for this, but she wanted the information missing from her brain.

He nodded. “As soon as everyone is here, we’ll do it.”

Faith wondered briefly if they were doing the right thing. What if they’d missed something, and they needed another Orlon Window? She had no idea how easy it was to make one, or if was even possible to do it again.

She decided there was no point in that sort of speculation, because there wasn’t anything she could do about it, nor was there any way to know ahead of time whether that would be an issue. Faith couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive, however.

What was it that they couldn’t remember? And how would it change things?

It seemed like a long time before the others showed up, one by one, even though it was only a couple of hours. Fred came almost immediately, although she didn’t really speak to anyone, instead sitting silently on the lobby couch, staring at the floor in apparent fascination.

Gunn was the next to arrive, followed by an apologetic Lorne nearly an hour later. “I’m sorry,” the green skinned demon said as he entered. “I was in the middle of a meeting that I couldn’t leave. Where are we doing this?”

“Here, I think,” Wesley replied, picking up the shrouded device and carrying it to the middle of the lobby. “We simply need to be present when it’s broken. It’s not complicated.”

“What about the rest of us?” Caridad asked from the sidelines. She was standing with the other three Slayers near the garden doors; Ellen and Dana were upstairs, as Dana tended to get a little upset when there were strangers around.

Wesley glanced at Faith, and she shrugged. “Perhaps you’d best stay close,” he suggested. “It won’t have any affect on you, but it’s hard to say what will happen to us.”

“I thought you said this wasn’t dangerous,” Gunn inserted, sounding alarmed.

“It’s not, but memories have different impacts upon different people.” Wesley sounded calm, but Faith could see the tightness in his shoulders and jaw, in the way he was carrying himself. He was as anxious as she was to get this over with, and so she took a step closer to him.

“Let’s get this done.”

He met her eyes. “Very well.”

The Slayers stayed where they were, but the others moved closer. Wesley pulled the cloth away, revealing a device that looked like a lantern that was brightly burning. She heard him take a deep breath, and then he threw it to the floor.

There was a crash and a flash of light, and suddenly Faith remembered. Snippets that had had no context before suddenly made sense. She could remember the teenage Connor with an attitude the size of Texas, remember how he’d been so anxious to kill his father—and yet he’d been curiously vulnerable as well.

She’d left as soon as Willow had stuffed Angel’s soul back into him, and she didn’t know why Angel had gone to Wolfram &amp; Hart to save his son.

But from the expressions on the others’ faces, they did.

~~~~~

Lorne gasped as the memories slammed into him with all the force of a freight train, and he could hear the others do the same. He could suddenly remember that he’d met Faith before—when she’d been in L.A., trying to capture Angelus so they could restore his soul.

More importantly, he remembered Connor as a baby and as a young man—as victim and aggressor. The boy had been so filled with hate and confusion, and whatever had taken over Cordelia’s body had fed on that.

The poor kid had been lost, and Angel had done the only thing he could to save him, even erasing every memory of Holtz and of his father.

What Lorne didn’t understand was why Angel had decided to erase their memories, too.

Lorne heard the office door slam, and he glanced up to see that Wesley had disappeared. “You okay?”

One of the Slayers was by his side, offering him an arm. “I’ll be fine just as soon as I catch my breath,” he assured her. “Someone might want to check on Wes, though.” Lorne met Gunn and Fred’s eyes in turn, and they both looked shaken.

“What the hell happened?” Faith demanded. “I remember the kid now, but I don’t know why Angel did what he did.”

“None of us do,” Lorne replied, getting confirmation from Gunn and Fred’s nods. “We know he was in trouble, but—”

“It must have been after Jasmine was killed, or destroyed, or whatever you want to call it,” Fred said slowly. “I know Connor was a part of that, but…”

“She was his kid—sort of,” Gunn added. “I remember what it was like when…” He rubbed his forehead. “Does anybody else feel like it just happened all over again?”

“Damn Angel!” Fred burst out. “We would have helped. We all would have helped, and he—”

Gunn sat down on the couch heavily. “He took our choices from us.”

“Are you going to stay there?” Faith asked him.

He shook his head. “I still don’t think I have a choice. Not only do I have this knowledge, but you guys are going to need someone on the inside who isn’t Angel.”

Lorne nodded his agreement. “I’ll be doing the same. Just ask if you kids need anything.” He watched as Faith looked at the closed door to the office. “We should go.”

“Yeah.” She blinked, as though coming out of a trance. “Caridad, get everybody rounded up, including Ellen and Dana. We’ve still got training today.”

As Faith marched towards the office, the Slayers drifted downstairs to the basement, calling out goodbyes as they went. Caridad headed upstairs, leaving Lorne with Gunn and Fred.

“How are you doing, Fred?” he asked seriously.

She shook her head. “I’ll be okay. Now that I know—” Like Faith, she looked towards the closed office door, but she stayed put. “I think I’m going to go to the beach,” she announced. “I need to take a walk.”

Fred walked out of the hotel without a backwards glance, and Lorne watched as Gunn winced. “What was that all about?”

He shook his head. “If I had to guess, I’d say she’s remembering that they almost had something. I don’t think she knew that before.”

Lorne didn’t reply, instead thinking of all that had become clear in the last few minutes. It was startling to realize how jumbled everything had been and that things were worse in a way.

They had been building relationships based on false information and false pretenses, on false memories and false assumptions—all of which had been dashed now. It was going to take time to know one another again, time to trust.

And it was possible that they never would.

~~~~~

“Let’s go.”

Wes ignored her. “Leave me alone, Faith.” He continued rummaging in his desk drawer for the bottle of alcohol he knew he’d stashed there. If there was ever a time that called for a drink, it was now.

“We’ve got training to take care of.”

“I think it can wait.”

“Well, I don’t.” She stood there, implacable, arms crossed over her chest. “Who was it always lecturing me about duty?”

“Fuck duty.”

“It would be nice sometimes,” she said. “But today isn’t the day. Let’s go.”

His eyes blazing, he faced her full on for the first time. “Get out of here, Faith,” Wesley said, keeping his cool with some effort. “I’m not good company right now.”

He never saw her move; she had him flat on his back on the floor with a bone-jarring thud in a second, her pelvis grinding into his. Wesley felt himself responding in spite of himself. “Don’t be a dick, Wes.”

“You don’t know what the bloody hell you’re talking about,” he snapped, flipping them over so that he was on top, then trying to rise.

Faith gripped him like a vice, keeping them both on the floor. “You think I don’t?” she asked, her eyes intense. “You think I don’t know what it’s like to fuck things up so bad you don’t ever think they’ll be fixed? To feel like you might as well go all the way, because it’s never going to get better, and they’re never going to forgive you anyway?”

He froze, staring at her. This was probably the most honest she’d ever been with him, and Wesley thought that he might be able to see right down into her soul. “Faith…”

“We’ve got Slayers,” she said, her voice soft. “That’s what we need to focus on right now. There’s a whole list of things we’re going to have to deal with, but none of that is going to matter if we don’t have the womanpower to take care of it.”

Wesley ran a hand down her arm as soon as she freed him. “Thank you.”

She ignored his gratitude, scrambling to her feet along with him. “I told Ellen to bring Dana, too, since she probably should know how to fight. I don’t know which of us is better to work with her, but I figure she could be an asset.”

“I think you’re right,” he replied, realizing that they weren’t going to talk about the matter further. Wesley spared a moment to wonder about Angel and Connor. Would anyone tell the vampire about what they had done here today? Would their recovered memories have any impact on the boy?

He shook his head, knowing that there was no way of knowing, and he had no way of seeing Angel apart from going back to the law firm. Wesley didn’t think that would be a good idea.

“We’ll ask her, or Ellen, who she’d prefer,” Wesley finally said.

Faith was right. He had Slayers to see to; there was no point dwelling on the past.

~~~~~

Angel picked up the phone on the second ring, wishing there was some way of escaping from his duties here, but he knew there wasn’t. He didn’t have a choice in the matter now; it was in his contract.

“What is it?”

The message from the person on the other end had him slamming down the receiver and jogging to the hospital wing, needing to see it to believe. Cordelia was sitting up in bed, watching the doorway, when he entered.

He didn’t even pause to think about what he was doing; Angel pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair. “Oh, God. Cordy.”

She didn’t reply immediately, but she returned his embrace with enthusiasm. “Hey, do you have some clothes for me?” she asked after she finally pulled back. “I’d like to get out of this hospital gown.”

“Yeah,” Angel replied, running a hand over her hair and trying to figure out how to get what she needed without having to leave her side. “I can call Harmony. She might be able to find something.”

“Harmony?”

“She’s working for me now,” Angel replied. “It’s a long story.”

Cordelia glanced around the room. “I’ll say. Did I hear the nurse right? Are you really working for Wolfram and Hart?”

“I took over the L.A. branch,” he confirmed. “I’m not really working _for_ them, though.”

She snorted. “Uh huh.”

Angel knew that sound. She wasn’t buying it. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you just as soon as we can get out of here.”

Harmony quickly sent over some clothes after he called, and Angel ushered her upstairs to his apartment. He’d had the place swept for bugs, or other listening devices, including those that might be magical in nature, but that didn’t mean he was home-free. They couldn’t talk candidly inside the building, but they could at least have some privacy.

“Where are the others?” Cordelia asked when the door was closed behind them.

Angel wouldn’t meet her eyes, knowing what he’d see there. “Wes quit before I had to fire him. He was getting too close to information they didn’t want him to have.” He didn’t think he had to specify who “they” were. “Fred quit after—”

“After she found out about Connor?”

He turned to face her. “You knew?”

“You talked to me.”

“I didn’t think you could hear any of that.”

“That didn’t stop you from talking.”

“There wasn’t anyone else I could trust,” he admitted. Sitting down on the couch next to her with a heavy sigh, Angel said, “I don’t know what to do now, Cordy.”

She covered his hand with hers where it rested on the couch cushion. “I know. We’ll get it figured out.”

Something about the way she said it bothered him, and he searched her face. “No…” he murmured, when he saw the answer to his unspoken question in her eyes.

“You need me right now, and I was your link,” she whispered in his ear. “It won’t be forever.”

Angel felt her arms go around him, and he closed his eyes tightly, holding her close. When she was gone, he’d be more alone than ever, and he didn’t think he could deal with that.

~~~~~

Wesley focused on the Slayers; it was the only thing that was keeping him from abandoning all of this and finding the bottle he knew he’d stashed away somewhere.

His duty—and Faith. She might be a Slayer, but her partnership, perhaps he could even call it friendship, was more important than anything else. It felt more real than anything else, because she had known him after he’d betrayed Angel, and she hadn’t treated him any differently then.

What they had now felt organic, as though it was always going to happen, stolen memories or not.

Still, what he’d done, the hurt he’d caused—Wesley understood why Angel hadn’t argued about firing him. He was lucky to still be alive.

“Dana, you’re dropping your shoulder,” he said. She’d indicated that she wanted to work with him, although he’d paired her off with Leslie, who was probably the most sensitive of the girls. He held his hand out for the stake Dana held, but she refused to release it, staring at him with wary eyes.

Leslie handed hers to Wesley, and he demonstrated the stance he wanted her to take. “This way.” She mimicked his movements perfectly, and he nodded. “Good. Now, let’s try again.”

The two girls began sparring again, and he nodded in satisfaction at the improvement Dana had made, even in a couple of hours. Turning his attention to the other side of the room, where the others were drilling with swords, he couldn’t help but watch the way Faith moved—gracefully, with a restrained power that he could just see.

She’d changed so much since his days in Sunnydale. They both had.

“Wes!” He came back to himself with a start, staring at Ellen who held out the cordless receiver. “Giles is on the other end for you,” she said with an amused smile.

He took the phone, nodding his thanks. “Hello?”

“Ah, good. Wesley. There’s a Slayer I need you to find.”

He blinked. “Haven’t you already found her?”

“The coven knows her name, and a rough estimate of where she might be, but it seems as though she’s dropped out of the system,” Giles explained. “When we tried to contact her parents to ease the way for you, we learned that she’d left home some time ago, and no one has seen her recently.”

“Where is she?”

“In the Atlanta area, although I believe that her parents live in a small town nearby,” Giles replied. “I’d like for you to find her, but also to discover why she’s not at home. We know that she’s around thirteen, so she ought to still be living with her parents.”

Wesley could think of a number of reasons that she wouldn’t be, but he remained quiet. There was no point in speculating before they knew more. “I can leave whenever you’d like.”

“Tonight, if possible,” Giles said. “If she is on her own, she’ll be in danger.”

“Of course. I’ll pack immediately.”

“How did the memory spell go?”

Wesley had decided to tell the head Watcher, just in case something went horribly wrong. Although Giles hadn’t been thrilled by the idea, he’d agreed, saying that they needed all the knowledge they could find, and that included what was locked away inside their own heads.

“We recovered our memories,” Wesley said cautiously. “It was—difficult.”

“Do you need more time for recovery?” Giles asked, sounding sincerely concerned.

“No, I’ll be fine,” he assured the older man. “As I said, I’ll leave tonight.”

Wesley met Faith’s eyes across the room, and he could see understanding there. Duty would, indeed, provide an admirable distraction.


	15. Chapter 15

Wesley glanced down at the address on the paper, then up at the small, dilapidated house. He was definitely in the right place, although the chances of finding the girl here were slim given what Giles had told him.

He knocked briskly on the front door, then stepped back. The woman who eventually answered was thin, her face drawn and lined. She was holding a cigarette and taking a drag when she opened the door, and she blew smoke off to the side without saying anything.

“Is Abigail present?”

“Who wants to know?”

Wesley smiled as pleasantly as he could. “My name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. I believe that my associate, Rupert Giles, contacted you about a scholarship to a school.”

She took another drag. “Yeah. Abby’s not here.”

“Do you know where she is?”

“She took off.” The woman opened the door just wide enough to flick ash out on the porch. “I don’t know where she is, and good riddance to her. That kid was nothin’ but trouble.”

Wesley swallowed his anger in the face of her obvious disinterest. “Do you know of anyone who would have some idea of her whereabouts?”

“Dunno. You might ask Lindsay, next door. They were close.” She gestured to the right.

“I see. Thank you.” Wesley turned away, unable to bear her presence any longer.

“What do you care about her?”

“She’s a very special girl,” Wesley said firmly. “If you’ll excuse me.”

He headed toward the house next door, wondering if there was any chance he’d actually find answers. This time when the door opened in response to his knock, it was a young woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties. “Can I help you?” she asked cautiously.

“My name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce,” he said. “I wanted to talk to you or possibly your daughter about the neighbors.”

“Are you with the police?”

“No. Abigail has won a scholarship to a school in California,” he explained. “Her mother told us that Lindsay might have some idea of where she is.”

“You’d best come in.” She stepped aside for him, opening the door wider. “I’m Liz, Lindsay’s mother.”

Wesley blinked, and the words slipped out before he had a chance to think about how they sounded. “Her mother?” He thought better of his question immediately. “Forgive me. I don’t mean to pry.”

“It’s okay,” she assured him. “I was young when I had her, and you’re not the first to say it. Please, won’t you sit down? Would you like something to drink? I have tea.”

“That would be perfect.”

Wesley was a little disconcerted when she brought out a glass of _iced_ tea, but he controlled his reaction this time and thanked her. “Is your daughter at home?”

“You seem awful concerned about Abby,” Liz said dubiously. “Can’t you just give her scholarship to someone else?”

“I don’t believe there are many girls like Abby,” he replied diplomatically. “It’s a special school, you see.”

The woman made a “hmm” sound. “Okay, well, Lindsay won’t be back from cheerleading practice for about an hour. You can stay if you want.”

Wesley thought about it for a minute, then nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate your hospitality.”

“If you can help Abby, I’d feel better,” Liz admitted. “She was over here all the time, an’ I think she was starved for affection, poor girl.”

“Do you know anything about her home situation?” Wesley probed.

Liz hesitated. “I don’t like to spread gossip…”

“Whatever you know may help us locate Abby,” Wesley encouraged.

Liz sighed as she sat down across from him. “I don’t know much. Abby was pretty quiet about what was going on over there, but I saw the bruises, an’ there were times when she wouldn’t go to school. I knew because Lindsay would take her assignments over there. I preferred the girls to stay here if they were goin’ to play together.”

“Makes sense,” he murmured.

She gave him a grateful look. “Don’t think her dad was around much, an’ her step-mom didn’t care for her one way or another. I did what I could, but…”

Wesley was quick to reassure her. “I’m sure you did. Do you happen to know what caused her to run away?”

Liz shook her head. “No, I’m sorry, but you can ask Lindsay. I just…figured that things got to be too much for her. It wasn’t like I could take her in here, or I’d have the cops after me for harboring a runaway, or some such.”

Wesley sighed and settled in to wait. He would just have to hope that her daughter knew more than she did.

~~~~~

Faith looked at Dana dubiously. “Are you sure she’s ready?” she asked Ellen.

“No, I’m not,” Ellen replied frankly. “But the fact is that if this does not help her, there will be little else I can do.”

Faith easily read between the lines. The witch was saying that if slaying vampires and demons didn’t help her to channel her aggression, nothing else would, and the only alternative would be continued sedation and confinement.

She shuddered imagining it.

“You’re going, too, right?” Faith asked.

Ellen nodded. “I’ll have to. If something happens…”

There was no need to complete that thought; Faith knew exactly what damage an out-of-control Slayer might do. “Right.” She raised her voice to address the other Slayers who were dispersed across the lobby. “Okay, you guys know that we’re going after vampires tonight, but there’s a good chance we’ll run into one or more demons. We’re doing this on the buddy system, so make sure you’re with another Slayer at all times.”

Faith missed Wesley all the time, but especially at moments such as these. The words coming out of her mouth were a Watcher’s words. She was good at understanding what they needed, what being a young woman with that sort of power in your hands—literally—and not always knowing what to do with it.

Wesley, on the other hand, was good at making plans, at finding strategies. He knew just which girls should pair off, and how to attack a demon to kill it efficiently. There were times when that drove her crazy, but right now she could appreciate it.

Once they had all decided on their backup, Faith led the way out of the hotel, and they loaded up in Wesley’s SUV. He’d left it behind for just this purpose, and Faith had a fairly good idea of where to find a few demons.

A good fight was just what they all needed to take the edge off.

~~~~~

Angel didn’t have any food in his apartment, and it wasn’t too long before Cordelia was complaining about being hungry. Although he could have ordered in, he had a strong desire to go to a restaurant, to have a sit-down meal—or watch Cordy eat one—to walk down memory lane for a while.

It had been a long time since they’d done something so simple as share a meal, and it used to be a habit.

Plus, going out like this, it felt almost like a date.

“You know I can’t stay forever,” Cordelia said gently after the host had seated them at a secluded table.

Angel swallowed. “I know. I just want to enjoy whatever time we have together.” When she didn’t respond right away, he asked, “How long?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. He heard her take a deep breath. “I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Cordelia said with forced cheer, “but you’re right. We should just enjoy it, in between saving the world.”

“You know what’s coming, don’t you?” Angel asked.

“Well, they don’t call me vision-girl for nothing.” Cordelia smiled sympathetically. “You were right to tell them about Vail.”

Angel looked away. “I should have done it sooner.”

“Yes, you should have.” Cordelia reached out to put her hand over his. “You aren’t going to be able to protect Connor forever, Angel. Vail isn’t the sort of guy who does things for free.”

He shook his head. “I paid. That was the deal if I came to Wolfram and Hart—Connor gets a new life.”

“And you really think that wasn’t what they wanted all along?” she inquired with a raised eyebrow. “Come on. You didn’t give him anything by coming to the law firm. You just played right into their hands.”

Angel didn’t want to believe it. He’d made a deal, and he’d given up a lot. When he’d joined the law firm, he’d signed away any future that he might have so that his son would have one. Now, Cordy was telling him that he’d gained nothing.

“I can’t leave,” he said hoarsely. “If I can’t protect Connor, what can I do?”

“You can make sure that the people who are in a position to do something have what they need,” Cordelia reminded him.

“And how am I going to do that without giving away the game?” Angel asked. “I have Lilah showing up every time I turn around, telling me that I’ve stepped over the line, reminding me that anything that was done could be undone.”

The expression on Cordelia’s face was clearly exasperated. “What did you expect? They have you on a tight leash. That just means that you’ll have to be sneaky about it. You used to be good at that.”

Angel stared down at his hands. He’d been coming to the slow realization that he wasn’t going to get out of this one alive. Sooner or later, somehow, he would be dead, and the idea frightened him more than he’d ever thought possible.

Either the Senior Partners would kill him, or he’d lose his soul under his contract, and someone else would kill him. He didn’t think that he had a friend left who would hesitate to stake him should Angelus return.

He had burned every bridge, he had risked everything by coming to Wolfram &amp; Hart, and all to save Connor. Now, it appeared as though he hadn’t been able to save his son, merely put him out of harm’s reach for a short time.

The entire world wasn’t made up solely of his son, even though it felt that way sometimes.

“They’ll need to know how to find Vail,” Angel said quietly. “And they’ll need a way to get at the Senior Partners. I don’t know if it’s possible, but if it can be done, Wesley will be able to spearhead the effort.”

Cordelia squeezed his hand. “I’ll be with you. You’re not alone in this.”

He met her eyes with some difficulty and nodded. “But I will be alone at the end. Isn’t that the way it works?”

Cordelia smiled sadly. “Everyone is alone at the end of it, Angel.”

~~~~~

Gunn fought the rising panic. He’d been in court and hadn’t been able to remember one of the most basic principles of contract law. Things were slipping, he was losing the knowledge that he’d gained, and he would soon be of no use to anyone.

Closing the door of his office, he thought quickly about his options, although he really only had one. Not only was he staying at the law firm for Angel, but for Wes and the others. Gunn knew that he was the only inside source they were likely to have, other than Lorne, and he had access to information that the anagogic demon did not.

The only real question was whether or not he should make an appointment.

In the end, Gunn opted for the element of surprise, just in case the doctor didn’t want to cooperate.

The doctor glanced up when he entered, but didn’t appear at all disconcerted by his sudden arrival. “I thought you’d be back.”

“What do you mean?” Gunn demanded.

The doctor turned slowly. “It wasn’t a permanent upgrade,” he replied. “The Senior Partners weren’t going to pay for that.”

“You didn’t tell me that at the time,” he accused.

The doctor shrugged. “You didn’t ask, and it was in the fine print of the waiver you signed.”

“Fix it!”

“You don’t have that kind of money.” The other man turned around with a contemptuous snort, beginning to straighten things up on a small table. “I’m sorry, Mr. Gunn.”

Gunn had long been aware that everyone and everything had its price, and being at the law firm had only reinforced that. “What do you want?”

The doctor didn’t even turn around. “I don’t think you understand. The price is too high.”

“There has to be something.” He heard the desperation in his own voice and hated himself for it.

The doctor paused in his clean-up. “There’s a shipment being held up in customs,” he said slowly, as though the thought had just occurred to him. “You could get it through with a signature.”

“What is it?” Gunn asked, smelling a rat.

“What does it matter?” The man faced him again. “Do you want the upgrade to be permanent or not?”

Every instinct he had was telling him that this was bad news. If he removed whatever obstacles standing in the way of the mysterious shipment entering the country, there would be another price—and he might not be the one paying it.

If he didn’t, he’d lose everything that made him special.

~~~~~

Wesley hadn’t received much information from Lindsay. The girl had told him that Abby had family in Atlanta, but she didn’t know where, and she wasn’t sure if the young Slayer had gone to her aunt’s house or not. “Abby said she was real nice,” Lindsay had told him. “But that she might send her back home, an’ she didn’t want to go.”

“Do you know what happened?” he’d asked gently.

Lindsay shook her head. “Abby just said that she was tired of getting hit, an’ she wasn’t gonna put up with it.” She’d thrown a cautious look at her mother before adding, “She said she could take care of herself. She showed me.”

Wesley knew immediately that Abby had shown her friend exactly what could be done with Slayer strength, and he nodded to show that he understood. “I see.”

At one point, when Liz had left the room to refill his glass, he’d leaned in and asked, “Do you have anything of Abby’s? I could find her if I had something like that, something she owned.”

Liz had returned before she’d been able to answer, and he’d left soon after, sure that he was going to have to find one young teen in Atlanta the old fashioned way.

Lindsay, however, had come running out after him. “Mr. Wesley!”

He’d stopped. “What is it?”

“I remembered something.” She held out a hand, and when he reciprocated, she dropped something into his palm. “Abby gave it to me to hold onto. She said her step-mom might throw her stuff away, and she didn’t want to risk losin’ it.” Lindsay looked wistful. “She said she’d come back for it if she could.”

Wesley looked down at the small figurine of a dog in his palm. It was tiny, but exquisitely made, and he could see why a young girl would have treasured such an item. “Thank you. You’re a good friend, Lindsay.”

“Will she be okay?”

“That’s what I’m trying to make sure of,” he promised.

Now he found himself in Atlanta, in a seedy motel room, with the ingredients for a locator spell laid out in front of him. The street map he’d purchased was detailed enough to give him a good reading, assuming that the spell worked, that there were no interferences, and that the girl was still alive.

Even a Slayer wouldn’t survive for long out on the streets of a major metropolis like Atlanta, not at thirteen.

While not every Slayer had a story like Abby’s, Wesley had noticed that there were more than a few who had a rough background, Faith being a prime example. He wondered if there was something about growing up tough, about the struggle, that made a girl a better Slayer—at least in the long run.

Perhaps someday when he had the time he would do a bit of research and find out. Wesley had a feeling that he’d need to save that project for his retirement—assuming that he lived that long, of course.

As he completed the ritual, Wesley watched a glowing point of light form over the map, but it took him a moment to recognize that the girl was located not three blocks from where he was, although she appeared to be rapidly moving south.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered as he released the spell, standing and knocking over the elements. Wesley paused only long enough to ensure that his twin pistols were loaded, and to make sure the stakes in his wrist sheathes were ready.

As an after-thought, Wesley grabbed the dog figurine he’d used for the spell, thinking that perhaps Abby would be more inclined to trust him if he brought it along.

Then, hoping that he was prepared for whatever was to come, Wesley closed and locked the motel room door with a thud.


	16. Chapter 16

The Slayers were in hunting mode, which meant that there wasn’t a lot of talking, but Leslie’s blood was singing. Between the seven of them, they had already staked eight vampires and killed three demons who had attacked the group with the clear intention of getting to Faith. No one was injured, and Leslie could sense the exhilaration.

What her parents would never—could never—understand was the hunt. Even if she someday went to college and gave up slaying full time, Leslie knew that she’d spend at least some of her nights like this. Being a Slayer demanded nothing less.

“Up ahead,” Faith called softly, breaking into a jog, Dana immediately to her left.

Leslie had been impressed with the crazy Slayer. She appeared to have no fear, and while Ellen was on hand to ensure that she killed demons and vampires, not people, Dana hadn’t had any trouble telling the difference.

In fact, if Leslie wasn’t mistaken, her eyes were just a little less wild, her movements a little more focused. Maybe Ellen was right, and this was exactly what the other girl needed.

Leslie felt her stomach twist as she saw what Faith had. She wasn’t sure how many demons surrounded the car—too many to count. A man and woman were dead, their bodies sprawled in awkward positions on the ground next to the vehicle.

She wasn’t sure how the young man had managed to hold off the demons. He’d found a piece of rebar somewhere and was swinging it wildly, although clearly with a lot of power. One of the demons he made contact with doubled over, and he followed up with a swing to its head that cracked the skull.

Leslie processed the scene in bare seconds, drawing the sword she carried and leaping into the fray as soon as she was close enough. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Phoebe stop to bring up the crossbow she carried, and one demon went down with a howl of rage and pain.

Faith and Dana were twin whirlwinds, dark hair whipping around their faces as they fought off the group. Leslie’s partner was Caridad, and they took on one of the demons together. She cut low, hamstringing it so that Cari could shove her stake into its throat. Caridad left the stake where it was and drew her long knife.

Later, Leslie would have no idea how or when she’d received the wound to her left shoulder, nor would she be able to recall how she twisted her knee. The adrenalin prevented the pain from even registering until after every demon was dead, and the young man stood there, chest heaving, still clutching the piece of rebar.

“Connor?”

It was Faith’s incredulous identification that broke the sudden silence that had fallen at the end of the battle, and Leslie’s eyes widened. She didn’t know the whole story behind Angel’s kid, but she knew that this wasn’t good.

The young man adjusted his grip on his makeshift weapon. “Who are you?”

Faith raised her hands. “I’m a friend, that’s all. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Connor backed up a step. “Stay away from me.”

Leslie caught the slight nod that Faith gave, although she didn’t move otherwise. “We want to help you.”

“I don’t know you,” he shot back.

Leslie edged to the right, trying not to alarm him. She knew what Faith wanted, and that didn’t include letting the poor kid run off on his own. If it had been some random stranger, she might have been able to believe that the demon attack was one of opportunity, but she didn’t think that was the case.

Faith put her hands down slowly. “No, you don’t, but I know you. Let me guess, you’re not like the other kids.”

The rebar wavered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You tellin’ me you can’t bend that rebar with your bare hands?”

Connor dropped it completely, then turned to run. He might have been the son of two vampires, but Phoebe and Uta had been out of his line of sight, and they stood right behind him. Leslie and Caridad closed in on him, as did Faith and Dana, leaving him surrounded with nowhere to go.

When he looked at Faith again, she smiled. “We’re not like other kids either. Maybe you want to know who and what you are, maybe you don’t, but I’ll bet you want to find out who killed your folks.”

His face turned ashen, and he glanced back at the broken bodies still laying on the ground. “Yeah, I would.” His voice was impressively steady.

Faith nodded. “Then let’s do that.”

Ellen slipped inside the circle. As far as Leslie had been able to tell, she’d held back from the fight, but she put her hand on Connor’s shoulder now. “It will be fine, lad.”

Connor didn’t look convinced of that, and Leslie didn’t blame him a bit. She wasn’t sure that anything was going to be fine.

~~~~~

Upon reaching the location that the spell had indicated, Wesley saw no sign of the young Slayer, and he proceeded south, the direction the small point of light had been moving. When he heard the sound of a struggle, Wesley broke into a run, coming up on a the scene of a fight.

There were two vampires and a girl with her back against the wall. In this area of town, there wasn’t much in the way of wood, but she’d managed to scrounge up a broken bottle. In the hands of a more experienced Slayer, that might have been enough, but this girl was untrained.

With a flick of his wrists, Wesley released both stakes from their sheathes. The first stake found its mark in one vampire’s back, and it crumbled into dust. The girl didn’t even blink, shoving her broken bottle into the face of the second vampire, and it backed right up into Wesley’s second stake.

The girl didn’t drop her weapon. “Back off. I don’t need your help.”

Wesley raised his hands. “I can see that,” he said diplomatically, deciding that now was not the time to argue if he was to win her trust. “May I show you my identification?”

She gave a short nod, and Wesley reached for one of the Council’s business cards. Giles had had them made up and dispersed to anyone who might be requested to contact the new Slayers. He also palmed the small figurine. “Here.”

The Slayer took the card from him, and gave him a puzzled frown when she’d read it. “You’re from a school?”

“It’s a special school.” He held out the figurine. “I spoke to Lindsay and Liz. Lindsay gave me this to help me locate you.”

Abby dropped the bottle, holding out her hand for the small dog. “Oh.” She glanced up at him, suspicion dwindling. “How—”

“We’ve been trying to find you before anyone else could,” Wesley said with a meaningful glance at the scattering of dust on the sidewalk. “My name is Wesley.”

“I’m Abby,” she said absently, looking back down at the dog. “So, what’s this thing about?”

Wesley glanced up and down the street. “Are you hungry?”

She nodded warily. “Yeah, but—”

“We’ll get something to eat, and I’ll explain everything,” he promised. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to stay here, however.”

Abby nodded and tucked the token in her pocket. “Okay.”

Wesley breathed an internal sigh of relief, grateful that things had gone so well.

Then again, they hadn’t made it back to Los Angeles yet, and anything could happen.

~~~~~

Fred was surprised to see Gunn on the other side of the door when she opened it. He looked as haggard as she’d ever seen him. “Charles? What’s wrong?”

“I needed to talk to someone.”

“Come in.” She moved aside immediately, ushering him to her well-worn couch. “Sit down.”

He collapsed more than sat. Gunn’s tie had been loosened and hung askew, and his suit was rumpled. Fred didn’t think Gunn had been this disheveled since starting at the law firm. “What happened?” she asked when he didn’t speak right away.

“I’m losing it, Fred,” he confessed hoarsely.

“Losing what?”

“The knowledge, everything they stuffed inside my head. It wasn’t permanent.”

“Oh, Charles.” Fred laid her hand on his arm. “Can’t you—I don’t know, get them to fix it?”

He glanced up at her. “I tried. I went to the doctor, but he wanted me to sign a piece of paper, to get something out of customs for him. I couldn’t do it.”

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “You can’t know what that would have done if you had. He works for Wolfram and Hart, right?”

“What good am I gonna be to Angel?” Gunn asked, his eyes haunted. “He doesn’t need another thug.”

“You’re not a thug!” Fred shot back. “You’re better than that, Charles. You refused to let them have their hooks in you. We’ll figure it out.”

He met her eyes. “Is it ‘we,’ Fred?”

She searched his face, wondering what her answer could be after everything they’d been through, after everything they had been to one another. “Will you promise not to try to protect me? It might mean that I make some mistakes, but you need to let me do that.”

“I can try.”

He looked so broken, so hurt, that Fred put her hands on his face, pulling him closer and pressing her lips to his forehead. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll go to the Council. Maybe there’s something they can do.”

The phone rang just then, and Fred reached over to answer it. She didn’t get very many phone calls, but the ones she did get were usually important. “Hello?”

“Fred, it’s Angel.”

“What’s going on?” Fred was feeling a little more charitable towards the vampire now that she remembered exactly what had happened. She could see that he might have believed that he was not only doing the right thing, but that he was helping them. She’d certainly been happier without those memories, and she guessed that Wesley and the others could have said the same.

“Cordelia’s back. We need to talk.”

Fred took a deep breath. “How long has she been back?”

“She woke up yesterday. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but we had some things that we had to discuss.”

“It’s okay.”

“Can we meet?”

“Have you called Wes?”

“I tried the hotel. There was no answer.”

“He’s out of town. I’ll try his cell phone. He’ll want to know about Cordy. Maybe we can meet somewhere? Gunn and I need to talk to you, and we’d probably better not do it at the office.”

“Of course. Call Wes and see when he’s going to be back. We should probably have a meeting with everyone.”

Fred didn’t like the sound of that. “Doesn’t Cordy want to see us?”

There was a long pause. “I didn’t ask.” Another long pause followed. “Where are you guys now?”

“We’re at my place. Let me give you directions.”

When Fred got off the phone, she looked at Gunn. “Angel and Cordy should be here soon. Do you want something to drink?”

“You got a beer?” he asked.

“Yeah.” She rose and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “We’ll talk to Angel. Cordy’s back, so that has to mean that things are looking up.”

Fred had to believe that things would get better; that’s what had allowed her to get through five years in Pylea.

~~~~~

Abby was going after the hamburger as though she hadn’t eaten in a week; for all Wesley knew, she hadn’t.

“Thanks again,” she mumbled around a bite. “I was starving.”

“Quite literally, it seems,” he replied with some amusement, since it was her second hamburger in less than half an hour.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. You should eat whatever you want.”

Under the harsh fluorescents, he could see that the girl’s mousy hair was greasy and her clothes dirty. It was clear that she’d been on her own for quite some time. “Lindsay told me that you have an aunt in the city,” Wesley said carefully. “Is there a reason that you aren’t staying with her?”

“She said I could at first,” Abby replied around a bite of hamburger. “Aunt Kit said I could live with her and everything, and she’d talk to my dad about it so the cops wouldn’t say she was harboring a runaway. But her boyfriend doesn’t like kids, and Dad said I should come home.”

“And you didn’t.”

“I couldn’t.” Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. “He would have killed me if I had.”

Wesley didn’t doubt her, but he still had to ask. “Why is that?”

“Because the last time he tried to hit me, I stopped him.” Abby looked him right in the eye. “And when I hit him back, he went flyin’. I didn’t even stop. I just grabbed some stuff and left. I had a little money, and L—Liz loaned me some more. She thought my aunt knew I was comin’.”

Wesley leaned back in his seat. “I run a school for girls just like you in Los Angeles. You wouldn’t be alone there, but the choice to come is yours. If you don’t want to, I’ll make sure you’re safe in another location.”

He could see that she wanted to believe him. Abby wanted to trust that he was exactly who and what he said that he was, and that he could fulfill his promises. “Let me call Faith,” he said, realizing that perhaps hearing those same words from another Slayer would help. “She can confirm what I’ve said.”

Wesley dialed the number, honestly thankful for an excuse to do so. Faith answered immediately, although she sounded distracted. “Yeah. What’s up?”

“I’ve found the Slayer,” he said without preamble. “She needs to know that I’m speaking the truth. Would you talk to her?”

“Only if you promise to be on the first flight back tomorrow.” Faith sounded grim. “We have a situation. More than one, actually.”

“I’ll head back immediately. Her name is Abby,” he reminded her before passing the phone to the girl.

Wesley had no idea what Faith said, but some of the tension seemed to leave the young girl’s face, and when she flipped the phone closed, she appeared determined. “I want to go.”

“What did Faith say?”

Abby just shrugged. “She said that if I thought killing vampires was wicked cool on my own, I should try it in a group.” Then, smiling shyly, she added, “And she said you were a really good Watcher, and that I should trust you.”

“Do you?”

There was a wealth of innocence in her blue eyes when she looked at him—innocence, and knowledge both. “I don’t think I’ve got a choice. It’s either you or the streets, and you saved my life.”

Wesley nodded, knowing that foundation might just be enough.


	17. Chapter 17

Angel hadn’t seen Fred in days, or maybe it was weeks—certainly not since she had informed him that she was leaving Wolfram &amp; Hart. She looked good, though, in her faded jeans and t-shirt; the tension that had been in her face the last time he’d seen her was gone.

Gunn, on the other hand, was a different story.

“Come on in,” Fred said, waving them to a seat on her couch. Gunn was slumped on one of the chairs from Fred’s tiny kitchen table, his head in his hands. “Cordy.”

Angel stepped back to allow the two women to embrace, holding one another tightly. “It’s good to see you, Fred.” Angel’s sharp ears caught Cordelia’s murmured words.

“How are you feeling?”

“Good,” Cordy said. “Hey, Gunn.”

The dark-skinned man roused himself enough to rise and give her a brief, hard hug. “How’s it goin’?”

“I feel like I should be asking you that question,” she replied, giving him a searching look. “We should sit.”

There was a moment of silence as they all got settled, and Angel waited for one of the others to speak first.

“When is Wesley going to be back?” Cordelia was the one to ask the question, probably because at some point in the last day or so they had come up with a plan. One that would likely get them all killed, but it was a plan, and they would likely take a few of the bad guys out with them.

Fred shook her head. “I don’t know. I tried calling Faith, but no one is answering the phone.”

Angel hesitated. “Maybe we should wait to do this until he gets back. I don’t want to have to go over this more than once.”

“We’ve got another problem,” Gunn said in a hollow voice. “I’m losin’ what they gave me.”

“I don’t understand.”

The man finally met Angel’s eyes. “I’m not going to be of any use to you. Turns out that the upgrade they gave me wasn’t permanent. All the legal knowledge—it’s fading.”

Angel glanced at Cordelia. There was naked compassion on her face, and she rose, going over to him and pulling him into a hug. He watched as she whispered into his ear, and he could just make out what she said. “It doesn’t matter. We need you.”

That much was true, Angel had to admit; they did need him. He wouldn’t go so far as to admit that it didn’t matter, but there was no way he would say that out loud. Cordelia would kill him.

“It might be for the best.” Angel cleared his throat. “We think that the strike needs to be made now.”

“Strike?” Fred echoed. “What do you mean?”

He glanced at Cordy, who nodded, indicating that he should continue. “The Black Thorn is the group that essentially represents the physical arm of the Senior Partners,” Angel explained. “They want an apocalypse, and if we wait too much longer, they’ll be too strong for us to stop.”

“So what do we do?” Gunn asked.

“We take them out, all at the same time.” Angel took a deep breath. This is where things got sticky. “I know who a few of them are, but not all of them. In order to find out, I need to get in.”

Fred’s eyes widened in alarm. “How?”

“By channeling Angelus.” Cordelia looked at him wryly. “Which is why you guys needed to know—so you wouldn’t stake him.”

Angel watched as Fred and Gunn exchanged looks. He could see the apprehension there, and he understood. “What do you want us to do?”

Fred was the one to ask, and Angel could see the determination on her face; she looked much the same as she had when she had given him the speech about standing up to the inevitable. It appeared that she still had faith in him, even after everything.

They all knew the truth about Connor now, and the truth really had set them free.

“Nothing for right now,” Angel replied. “We need to talk with Wes and Faith, as well as the other Slayers. I don’t want to set this in motion until everybody is on board, because once I play my hand, there will be no going back.”

Fred and Gunn both murmured an agreement.

“Take some time off,” Angel said to Gunn. “Call in sick. There’s no point in leaving until we know for sure that staying would be fruitless.”

Gunn sighed. “Yeah, okay.”

Angel glanced at Cordelia, who was watching the entire scene with an expression he couldn’t quite read. This was the end of the road for both of them he thought. Unless a miracle happened, this would be their last fight.

~~~~~

“Here.” Faith handed Connor a cup of coffee. “I can’t promise that it’s any good; I haven’t tried it yet.”

“That’s fine.”

His eyes were hollow and dark with pain. Faith sat down next to him on the couch in the office. “I’m sorry about your folks.”

“Yeah.”

“Look, I don’t know if you have relatives or somebody to stay with in the area, but you’re welcome here. There’s plenty of room.”

Connor looked up at her. “I want to know how you knew me. You recognized me.”

Faith had wanted to wait for Wesley to get back before getting into this. How the hell was she supposed to explain this to the poor kid? She owed him an explanation, though. He’d been pretty patient through the whole thing—from calling the police to the trip down to the station to give their statements.

Faith hadn’t bothered trying to explain the bodies of the dead demons to the cops. She’d simply told the officers that they were a girls’ lacrosse team headed home from practice when they’d stumbled onto the scene of the attack. She didn’t much care how much of that story they believed as long as they didn’t arrest any of them.

The cops apparently decided not to ask a lot of questions, and the trip to the station was a quick one. Connor backed up their tale, and they let them all go.

And now they were back at the hotel, and Faith had no excuses for not telling the kid what he wanted to know.

“Look, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s that I don’t think you’re going to believe me.”

“I wouldn’t believe you?” Connor asked incredulously, the anger rising in his voice. “My parents were killed by demons and I found out that I’m practically indestructible. What could you possibly tell me that I wouldn’t believe after all of that?”

Faith had to acknowledge that he had a point. “Yeah. Okay. We met last year.”

“That’s impossible,” he said flatly. “I think I’d remember.”

“You would, except that your memories were altered. Ours were too, but we did a spell that put them back.”

Connor shook his head. “I don’t believe you. You’re lying.”

“Why the hell would I do that?” Faith demanded. “I told you that you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Perhaps I can help.” Ellen spoke from the doorway, her voice gentle.

“Go for it,” Faith replied, standing up. She felt for the kid, but she had no idea how to prove that what she was saying was true. He’d been fucked up before Angel arranged to give him a new life, and she didn’t think it was going to get much better.

Ellen sat down next to Connor on the couch. “Give me your hand.”

He did so warily, and Faith wondered what Ellen was up to, although she wasn’t surprised that Connor seemed to trust her. Ellen had that vibe about her. You knew she wasn’t going to mince words, but she’d deliver the truth with kindness.

“Faith?”

Faith raised her eyebrows. She knew what the witch was planning; Wesley had told her about his experience with Dana. “You sure about this?”

“Give me your hand,” Ellen repeated patiently.

Faith did so, closing her eyes against what she knew was about to come. She found herself inside her memories of hunting Angelus down, Connor alternately helping and getting in her way. Faith remembered both her frustration and her sympathy.

No one knew fucked up like she did.

When it passed, and she opened her eyes, she saw Connor looking at Ellen, bewilderment writ large across his face. “My parents—”

“Weren’t your biological parents,” Ellen confirmed.

“My dad?”

“He’s around,” Faith said. “Do you want to see him?”

Connor shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean, he’s a vampire, right?”

“He’s a good guy.” Faith smirked. “A pain in the ass sometimes, but a good guy. He saved my life a time or two.”

He put his head in his hands. “I don’t understand any of this.”

Ellen looked up at her. “Call Angel. They’re going to need one another.”

Faith didn’t question the order. She’d much rather let Angel deal with his own kid.

~~~~~

Wesley would probably have balked at using blackmail once upon a time, but at this point he was a little more practical. He couldn’t very well remove Abby from the state without her parents’ permission, but from what she had told him, they might not be willing to let her go.

He’d discovered that abusive parents were odd like that. While they might not have the capacity to care for their children, they didn’t want anybody else doing it either.

In this case, he could easily notify the police about her father and step-mother, but instead he was offering to take her off their hands. The Council had discovered that the words “boarding school” smoothed over any number of concerns, particularly for parents who had no idea what to do with a daughter who had suddenly developed startling strength—among other abilities.

Abby hadn’t wanted to go back, but Wesley had promised that she could stay in the car if she wanted, and that no matter what her father said, she wouldn’t have to live with him again.

While it might not be _wise_ to take an underage girl out of the state without her parents’ permission, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t in an emergency.

The man who met him at the door certainly didn’t look like he was inclined to be helpful.

“My name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce,” he began.

“I know who you are.” The man took a swig from the can he was holding. “Tasha told me.”

“I found Abby. I’d like your permission to take her to California.”

The man stared at him out of watery eyes. “She’s my kid. She ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

“Let me put it this way,” Wesley said in a low voice. “You either give permission, or I call the cops and report you for child abuse. Those are your options.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t like your tone, mister.”

Wesley smiled thinly. “I don’t like men who abuse their children. It’s an imperfect world.”

They were at an impasse, and one of them was going to have to back down; it wasn’t going to be Wesley.

“Fine.” Abby’s father was the one to speak. “You tell that little bitch that if she leaves, she can’t come back.”

Wesley barely resisted the urge to pull out the gun he was wearing and shoot him. It would be satisfying, but would bring more trouble than he was worth. “I’ll pass the message along,” he replied through clenched teeth. “I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear it.”

Pulling out the release form that Giles had arranged to have drawn up for any underage Slayer, Wesley handed it and a pen to the man. There was a moment’s hesitation before Abby’s father signed, but he did, and Wesley hid his sigh of relief.

He turned to leave and saw Abby standing next to the car, keeping one wary eye on him and her father while she spoke to Lindsay. Wesley had rented the hotel room next to his the night before, to allow her to get cleaned up and sleep. The plan was to drive back to Atlanta and fly to L.A. that night.

Wesley reluctantly turned his back on her father, knowing that he was just the type to attack from behind, and headed for the rental car. “Are you ready, Abby?”

“You’re really going?” Lindsay asked, sounding a little plaintive.

Abby nodded. “It’ll be cool. Maybe you can come visit.”

“Maybe.”

Wesley could hear the truth in their voices; they would likely never see one another again, and they both knew it.

“Will you write?”

“I promise.” Abby gave her a hug, and Wesley turned away, wanting to give the girls a little privacy.

He caught sight of Liz standing the doorway of her house with a sad little smile on her face. She nodded at him, and he nodded in return, swallowing hard.

It was another responsibility to add, but it was one he didn’t mind.

~~~~~

Angel rushed into the hotel, his head spinning. He’d given Connor up to keep him safe, and this happened?

“Where is he?” he demanded of Faith as soon as he saw her.

“Good to see you, too,” she responded. “He’s sleeping on the couch. I think Ellen did something to him.”

“_What_?”

“To help him sleep.” Faith smirked. “Come on, he’s your kid. Do you really think I wouldn’t take care of him?”

Angel shook his head. “What happened?”

She explained briefly. “After we got him back here, he asked how I knew him. I explained, he didn’t believe me, and Ellen convinced him by doing some of her magic mind-meld stuff.”

“What next?” he muttered. “I wanted him out of this, Faith.”

“He’s in it now,” she said philosophically. “His parents were just killed. I doubt he’s going to walk away from it.”

Angel started pacing. “This isn’t a good time.”

Faith sighed audibly. “What would be a good time? We know we’ve got an apocalypse coming, but we’ve always got one of those on the horizon.”

“Not like this.”

“There something you want to tell me?”

“I wanted to wait for Wesley to get back.”

“Give it a few more hours and he will be. He should be here about six.”

Angel glanced at the clock. “It can wait that long.”

Faith gave him a searching look. “How bad are we talking?”

“This is the last stop for me, Faith.” He found that he could say the words out loud to a Slayer, to someone who had been inches from death twice—both times in connection to him. He knew that she would understand.

Faith frowned, and for a moment he could have sworn that she had tears in her eyes. “Could be the last stop for all of us,” she managed.

“Maybe.” He sat down on the couch. “So, tell me about these Slayers of yours.”

He needed the time to collect himself, to remember that Connor wasn’t his anymore. And to figure out what he was going to do now.


	18. Chapter 18

“Whoa. You really live here?” Abby heard her voice echo around the lobby, and she flinched slightly. She hadn’t meant that to come out so loud; everybody would think she was some hick who’d never seen a hotel lobby before.

She had, but she’d never thought to live in one.

“Yes. At least the others do. I’m—working on it.” Wesley glanced down at her, and she could see from his expression that he was distracted and doing his best to hide it. “If you’ll wait here, I’ll see if I can find some of the other Slayers. They can help you get settled.”

Abby nodded and willingly sat on the funny round couch in the middle of the lobby. She figured that some of Wes’ distraction had to do with the phone call he’d taken at the airport; that was when he’d gotten pretty quiet.

But still kind. He was nice in the way her science teacher had been—really interested in her, always treating her like she was important, but not being creepy about it. Wes was like that, and she thought that if the others were the same, she might be okay here.

“Hey.” The girl coming down the stairs was probably a few years older than her, with long dark hair pulled back into a braid. “You must be Abby.”

“Yeah.” Feeling suddenly shy, she glanced down at the small backpack sitting between her feet. Wes had said that her clothes would be taken care of, that she didn’t have to worry about it, which was a good thing, because there was no way she was going back inside her father’s house.

“I’m Caridad. Do you want to see your room?”

“Okay.” She glanced around, wondering if this was one of the Slayers, and if she was supposed to leave.

“It’s cool,” Caridad assured her. “Wes told us you were here. He’s just catching up with Faith right now. We’ll get you settled, and I’ll show you around.”

“It’s a really neat place.” Abby wanted to sound grownup, like she wasn’t scared, but she couldn’t quite keep the tremor out of her voice.

The older girl put an arm around her shoulders. “We’re all on the same team here. We’ve got your back, _niña_.”

Abby managed a smile, knowing that all she could do was to take things one step at a time.

~~~~~

“Bloody hell,” Wesley cursed, then continued, his swearing incredibly creative, even to Faith’s experienced ears.

“You’re telling me.”

“Where are they now?”

“They’re outside,” she said, jerking her head to indicate the hotel’s courtyard. “I don’t know what Angel decided to tell him, but I figured it was his kid, his call.”

“Of course.” He ran his hands over his face, looking out the window of the office.

Faith caught sight of Caridad with her arm around the new kid, and she gave a satisfied nod. Cari was good with people, and an experienced Slayer. Abby would be fine with her while they straightened out this mess.

“How did the flight go?”

“It was fine.”

“And the talk with daddy dearest?”

“I explained to him that he would be better off letting her come with me than in a jail cell. He got the picture.” Wes’ smile held no mirth. “I’ll have you know that I was a model of restraint.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” she replied with a smile. “What do you think of her?”

“She’s surprisingly trusting.” Wesley shook his head. “She’s tough, though. I imagine she’s learned to be pliant, but only up to a certain point.”

“If she knocked her dad across the room, that’s probably a good guess.” She sighed. “Angel doesn’t think he’s going to make it out of this one.”

There was a long pause, and Wesley sat down on the couch. “I don’t know that he can.”

“What?”

“Angel sold his soul to the devil.” He met her eyes, and she could see the weariness there, the guilt that he bore. “To be honest, I’ve thought the same. I may not survive this fight.”

The thought of Wesley not being around did something to her insides that Faith didn’t like. “Hey, we’ve made it out of tight spaces before,” she said, sitting down next to him, unable to find the words to explain.

“Yes, we have.” He leaned back into the cushions. “We should probably find Angel and Connor. I’m curious as to what Angel’s solution to this mess is going to be.”

“Which mess? Connor or the law firm?”

“Both,” Wesley replied. “It seems to be one and the same.”

~~~~~

Connor’s head was still spinning with grief and confusion. In the last 72 hours, he’d discovered that he was nearly indestructible, found out that demons were real, watched his parents killed in front of him, and was told that they weren’t actually his parents. Instead he’d found out he was the son of two vampires.

It was unbelievable, and yet he believed them. He had to, after what Ellen had done, even though he didn’t understand how she’d accomplished it.

And now he was sitting next to the man—vampire—who was apparently his father.

“I’m sorry.” Angel broke the silence.

“For what?”

“Your parents. You were supposed to be safe with them.”

“Is that why you did it?”

“I didn’t think there was another choice.”

“Was there?”

“I still can’t see one.”

Connor looked at Angel, seeing himself and yet not at the same time. He had no memories of this man, other than those he’d received vicariously through Faith. She thought of him as a friend, a mentor, someone who had saved her. She believed that he was a good man.

“Tell me about my mother.”

“She died so that you could live.” Angel’s brief words didn’t tell him much, but Connor remained silent, waiting for him to fill in the blanks. “She was beautiful.”

“Did she have a soul?” He knew from Faith’s memories that that was the reason Angel wasn’t evil.

“She shared yours while she was pregnant. It’s why—” Angel broke off, before finishing, “she loved you.”

“Did you love her?”

“Yes. I did.”

Connor didn’t know what else to ask, what else he should know. “What am I supposed to do now?”

The man—no, vampire—sitting next to him shook his head. “I don’t know. To be honest, I think you should go back to school, let us handle this.”

“What about the things that killed my parents?”

Angel met his eyes. “You can go back, forget that this ever happened, trust that we’ll get whoever was behind it.”

“Or?”

“You could stay with Faith and Wes. They’ll look after you. They might even…” Angel trailed off, sounding as though he was choking on the words. “They might even be able to help you remember.”

“Angel?”

Connor turned to see a tall, thin man walking towards them.

“Wes.” Angel rose. “How was the trip?”

“I retrieved the Slayer safely,” he responded. “I didn’t want to interrupt, but I thought we might need to talk.”

Angel nodded. “We do. Cordelia wants to see you. I told her I’d call when you got back.”

“I’d like to see her as soon as possible.” The man’s voice was formal, but Connor caught the thread of anticipation. Whoever this Cordelia person was, it was fairly obvious that he wanted to see her badly.

“We should get Fred and Gunn here while we’re at it. There are some things we need to go over.” Their eyes met for a long time, and Connor could sense the tension between them. Finally, Angel ended the seeming impasse by walking over to Wesley and putting a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks.”

Wesley nodded. “Of course.”

Connor had no idea what was going on, but he thought that it might be big.

~~~~~

Faith hadn’t yet been able to give Wes a proper greeting. In a perfect world, she would have been able to drag him upstairs immediately to scratch the itch that had been bothering her pretty much ever since he’d left.

Instead, she had a freaked out kid, a baby Slayer, and an apocalypse on the horizon. Figured.

Looking around the lobby, she spotted the Slayers on the stairs, close enough to hear what was going on, but not so close that they would be dismissed. Abby was flanked by Caridad and Leslie, and Faith could see both of them whispering into her ear on occasion, apparently explaining what they knew of the situation.

Wesley was leaning up against the hotel desk next to her, arms crossed, while Fred and Gunn sat on the couch. They were waiting for Cordelia and Lorne to show up.

Faith leaned closer to Wesley to whisper, “You okay?”

“Fine.” He glanced at her. “Really.”

“Connor seems like a decent kid. A lot better than what I remember.”

“He doesn’t remember, so it would make sense.”

“Can you make another one of those window things?”

Wesley frowned, considering it. “I suppose so. If the first one worked, I should be able to duplicate the efforts. You’re thinking of using one for Connor.”

“If he wants to.”

“If Angel allows him to do so.”

“I don’t think it should be up to Angel,” Faith responded. “It’s Connor’s decision.”

Wesley didn’t argue with her, instead making a humming sound.

The doors to the hotel opened, and Cordelia and Lorne walked in. Cordy headed straight for Wes, who opened his arms to her immediately. Neither of them said anything for a long moment, then Cordelia pulled back and looked at him. “You look good.”

“As do you.” He smiled. “It’s good to see you again, Cordelia.”

“You, too.” She stepped back to look at him, then at Faith. “It’s good to see you again.”

Faith raised an eyebrow, feeling more than a little skeptical. She and Cordelia had never been on the best of terms. “Yeah. Same here.”

Cordelia smiled, the expression on her face indicating that she knew exactly what had caused Faith’s hesitation. “I guess we should get down to business.”

It took time for everyone to get settled. Connor still hung back, at the edge of things, halfway between the lobby and the stairs, as though he wasn’t quite sure whether to join the Slayers or the small knot of people who were discussing demons and apocalypses as though they were everyday affairs.

“Why don’t you start, Angel?” Wesley was the one to take the reins, his voice deceptively calm.

Angel quickly explained what he’d learned about the Black Thorn and their connection to the Senior Partners, then continued, “The trouble is that I don’t know who they are. I have a few names, but not enough.”

“Not enough to do what?” Faith asked.

“A simultaneous strike,” Cordelia explained. “All of them get taken out at once.”

“That would include Vail,” Wesley murmured. “Which would ensure Faith’s safety.”

“At least insofar as the hit on her is concerned, yes.” Angel paced. “The problem is getting the rest of the names. It’s going to require me getting access to the members.”

“You’re going to join them.” Wesley’s voice was flat. “You know that’s not going to be a simple matter, Angel. It’s probably going to involve some sort of proof that you’ve gone over to their side in more than just word.”

“I realize that. It’s why I wanted to be sure that you were all on board.” Angel turned to face them, his expression bleak. “After this, we’re not going to be able to communicate. I’m going to cut ties with all of you, and you’re going to have to trust that what I’m doing, I’m doing because I have to.”

“And if that requires killing one of us?” Faith asked quietly. “If Vail’s a member of the Black Thorn, he might ask you to do something like that. Angelus would have no problem with it.” She spared a glance at Connor. “He wouldn’t have any trouble sacrificing his own son, either.”

“It won’t be Connor.” Cordelia spoke for the first time. “And it won’t be any of you.”

Gunn frowned. “You know?”

“I’ve seen it.” She looked at Angel, and their eyes met for a long moment. “We’ve already talked about it. They know I’m his last link to the Powers.”

Wesley straightened, his glare fierce. “No!”

Faith wasn’t surprised that he’d caught on faster than the rest of them, but his outburst told her what Cordelia had seen. “Angel—”

“We don’t know that’s what they’re going to ask me to do.” Angel’s voice was even, but Faith noticed that he didn’t meet anyone’s eyes, instead staring at the floor. “I can promise to get you the names, and the best time to strike, but I have to rely on you for the rest of it.” When he looked up, it was at Wesley. “I’m trusting you.”

Wesley turned away, staring at the wall behind the desk, running a hand through his hair, then over his face. Faith knew that Angel was asking for a lot, perhaps more than they could give. He then turned and looked at the others in the room, his eyes resting on each one individually before returning to Angel.

“We’ll need reinforcements,” he said steadily. “I don’t want to take on a bigger risk than necessary, and if what you’re saying is true, we’ll need to be prepared for repercussions.”

“We can call Giles,” Faith inserted. “I’ll bet he’ll be willing to send help.”

“What about me?” Connor stepped forward, speaking for the first time. “If what you’re saying is true, these people are responsible for killing my parents.”

“Connor—” Angel began.

“I need to know the truth. I want my memories back.” He looked at Wesley. “Faith said you could do that.”

Wesley nodded slowly. “I believe I can, yes.”

Faith watched as Angel closed his eyes, his head bowed, and she knew what he was thinking. After all he’d given up to save his son, for Connor to be in danger again, entering the same life that Angel had hoped he’d left behind—it was quite the blow.

It would have to be.

She watched as Cordelia put a hand on Angel’s arm, and the two shared a look that said more than words. Faith knew that expression; she knew that they both had seen the end that they were facing, and they’d made what peace they could.

Faith looked at Wesley and realized that she hadn’t; she wasn’t ready to go down, and she wasn’t ready for Wes to do it either.

And she decided right then and there that come hell or high water, they would both make it out of this alive.

~~~~~

Wesley found that he was bone-tired. The strategy session had seemed to go on forever, mostly because it would be the last one. There were decisions to be made now, and yet without all of the information, it had been more difficult.

In the end, Angel and Cordelia had gone back to Wolfram &amp; Hart to put their plan in motion, with Lorne as the designated go-between. He would be the one to relay the names and locations of the members of the Black Thorn, and it would be up to Wesley and the others to decide on assignments and targets.

And, while Angel had clearly been unhappy with the decision, Connor had insisted on staying, and at least on getting his memories back. There was no telling what the boy would do after that.

Wesley was simply grateful that the other Slayers had seemed to take charge of Abby, because he didn’t have the energy to make one more decision.

As the door shut behind him, Faith walked out of the bathroom. “You okay?” It was an echo from earlier, and he gave the same response.

“Fine.” He began unbuttoning his shirt. “We should both get some sleep. We’ll have to get up relatively early to catch Giles while he’s awake.” Glancing at the clock, he added, “Considering what time it is.”

“Are you really that tired?”

Wesley found that his mouth had gone dry as Faith stripped off the t-shirt she normally wore to bed—at least, in theory. It rarely stayed on in his experience.

“I am,” he replied, striving to keep all emotion out of his voice as he continued to undress. “You ought to be as well from what I understand.”

“You really want to waste time, Wes?” She moved towards him, hips swaying, dark hair brushing her breasts. “You said it yourself. We don’t know how much time we’ve got.”

“No. I suppose we don’t.”

They came together with a desperation brought about by both uncertainty and knowledge—uncertainty about their future, knowledge of just how close death might be. Each of them had come within a hairsbreadth of a permanent end, and they had more reason than most to know how easily, how quickly, death could find them.

Words weren’t possible; neither of them expressed feelings easily, and so action would have to suffice. Fingertips tracing the jaw line, lips caressing and demanding, the sense of skin on skin, with no space between. Wesley could forget for a moment that there was a past or a future, that he had been both traitor and betrayed.

If only for a moment, he could believe that this—this moment, this feeling, this partnership—would never end.

Even if only for a moment.


	19. Chapter 19

The Orlon Window had to come first; Faith understood that. She glanced towards the closed office door and sighed. Still, Wesley had locked himself in there for the past twenty-four hours. The only reason he’d even stopped long enough to eat was because Ellen was helping him, and she understood the need to refuel.

Of course, that meant that she was stuck with Dana and the rest of the Slayers, as well as Connor. Ellen had done something to help him, to ease the pain and shock of seeing his parents killed before his very eyes. It was powerful mojo, as Ellen’s work with Dana could attest.

“What’s the plan?”

Faith looked at Gunn, who was dressed in a pair of well-worn jeans and a hoodie. “We wait for Wes to finish up his thing. We can’t do much until Angel manages to get in with the Black Thorn.”

With a quick, effortless move, Gunn lifted himself up to sit on the counter. “You think he’s going to manage it?”

“It’s Angel, so probably.” Faith felt a pang. They had said goodbye before he’d left to go back to the law office, and she’d known then that it really was goodbye. If they saw one another again—and it was a big if—it would be as enemies, or on a battlefield.

And Angel believed that he wasn’t going to walk away.

“And you?”

“What about me?”

“You think this is the end of the line?”

Although Gunn had tried to keep his voice carefully neutral, Faith caught the hint of an emotion that didn’t belong there. Unlike him, apparently, she wasn’t eager to die. “Look around you, Gunn.”

Puzzlement crossed his face, but he did as she ordered. Faith knew what he’d see: Leslie and Caridad patiently demonstrating how to use a crossbow to Abby, Phoebe and Uta good-naturedly debating the best Ben &amp; Jerry’s flavor while Dana looked on, eating out of her own carton. Fred and Connor were doing their own thing, but the lobby was the gathering place.

Faith could sense the camaraderie; she wondered if Gunn could, too.

“What do you think I should see?” he asked quietly.

“Slayers.” Faith hated big speeches, but she’d heard a few, and she could give them if she was in the mood. “Every one of those girls would fight to the death to save your ass, or mine, but they don’t want to go out now. They’re not ready, and neither am I.”

Involuntarily, she looked towards the office door once again. “I’ve got too much to live for.”

“And me?”

“You get the newsflash, Gunn?” Faith raised an eyebrow. “Lawyers might be handy, but right now the Council needs experienced demon fighters a hell of a lot more.”

His expression didn’t change, and Faith wondered if she’d been able to get through, and whether it mattered, although she thought that it might.

~~~~~

Wesley sat back in his chair with a sense of satisfaction. The first Orlon Window had taken days to build; this one had been completed in a day’s time. Although Ellen had helped, he’d done most of the work himself.

“Well done,” Ellen murmured, staring into the brightly-lit box as though mesmerized. “That should do nicely.”

“Assuming that Connor does not go over the deep end when his memories are returned.” Wesley’s lips twisted up in a rueful smile. “It’s entirely possible.”

“Are you forgetting the fact that I’m here?” Ellen smiled. “I think I can take care of him, although I imagine that Dana is going to need to find a good fight tonight. Do you think you can dig one up?”

Wesley laughed grimly. “I don’t think that will be a problem. Trouble seems to find them as soon as the Slayers step out of doors, and I imagine that it won’t be long before trouble begins to seek us out.”

Ellen nodded. “You’d best call Rupert, because we’re going to need more Slayers here before the end.”

“What about Abby?” Wesley asked, wanting the older woman’s take on the girl. “Should we send her away?”

“Send her where?” Ellen shook her head. “A Hellmouth wouldn’t be much better, and she won’t be able to leave the country, not without a passport.”

“Giles—”

“Will have his hands full, although I do think that she might be best off in England eventually. I have a feeling that will end up being the main training center.”

Wesley gave her a sharp look. “And this?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. You’d best call Rupert,” she repeated. “We don’t know how long it will take him to send help, nor do we know when we’ll need it.”

He picked up the phone reluctantly. Calling for reinforcements just drove home how quickly things were moving, and how likely it was that they wouldn’t come through this unscathed. Wesley felt much the same as he had right before he’d taken Connor; it was the dread of knowing that everything would change, and not feeling as though he had a choice.

“Giles? It’s Wesley. We seem to have a situation on our hands.”

~~~~~

“You seem to be losing your friends.”

Angel didn’t bother looking up from his paperwork. “So?”

“I never thought I’d see the day.” Lilah took a seat across from him, crossing her long legs slowly and deliberately.

“If they can’t hack it, they shouldn’t be here.” Angel made sure to keep all emotion out of his voice.

Lilah raised an eyebrow. “Now, that’s an interesting change of tune.”

Angel smirked. “I’m here, right?”

“You’re toeing the party line, and that’s something of a surprise.”

“I got rid of Wes, didn’t I?” He leaned back in his chair. “What do you want, Lilah?”

“I’m wondering if you’re ready for the next level.”

“There’s another level?” He rose from his chair and nonchalantly wandered over to the window. Angel knew that he couldn’t afford to give away his strategy at this point; Lilah couldn’t know that he had a goal, that he wanted to get into the Black Thorn. Everything rode on how well he could channel Angelus.

Lilah snorted. “You can’t tell me that you didn’t know we had bigger plans for you. This is only the first level, Angel.”

“Your point?” He turned to face her again.

“There’s a lot more to this job than sitting in this office.” Lilah re-crossed her legs. She used her sex appeal like a weapon, and almost without thought. “You have a chance to be part of the new regime.”

“Oh?”

Lilah rose from her seat. “Think about it, Angel. We’re going to win this time, and you can either rule or be ruled. Those are your choices.”

“I don’t need to think about it.” Angel pasted a sneer on his face. “I’m tired of ending up on the bottom.”

“And your son?”

He shrugged. “He’s not my son anymore.”

“Very well. I’ll be in touch.”

As soon as Lilah was gone, Angel went up to his apartment, where Cordelia was waiting for him. She didn’t say anything, merely looked at him with a question in her eyes. He nodded, letting her know without words that they were moving in the right direction. From now on, they would have to be incredibly careful about what they said and where they said it.

Angel knew that he was being watched, and what they saw could mean the difference between success and failure.

And they couldn’t afford for him to fail.

~~~~~

Connor stared at the subtly shifting light inside the lantern. All he had to do was break it, and he’d remember everything—and not through the eyes of another.

He had no idea why he was hesitating.

“You don’t have to do this.”

He glanced over at Ellen, wondering once again why it was so easy to trust her, and to take these people at their word. A week ago, he’d been a normal college student, and now he was an orphan who was apparently some sort of demon fighter. Too bad he hadn’t been able to save his parents.

“Yes, I do.” Connor swallowed and went back to staring at the device. “All I have to do is break it?”

“That’s all.” Ellen laid a hand on his shoulder. “Whenever you’re ready.”

He picked it up, glancing around the room. The Slayers, other than Dana, had left them alone, and only Wesley and Faith remained. These were the people who claimed to know him, who said that they knew his past. What Connor wanted to know was whether they knew his future, too.

Connor set his jaw and dropped the Orlon Window to the floor, watching as it shattered. It was a lot more fragile than it looked, and he was surprised to see the pieces scatter. The memories washed over him like a wave, like the last vacation he’d taken with his parents. He’d gone surfing in Hawaii, and the waves had been huge.

That’s what it felt like now, the memories crashing over him in waves like water, leaving behind more and more information. Connor had believed that the memories would fill him in, would fill him out, and instead he felt as shattered as that weird lantern.

When they were all there, when all the memories were back in place, and he could see the layers for what they were—the Destroyer that had been overlaid by the good son—he stared at his hands.

They really were the hands of a killer.

“Connor?”

Ellen’s gentle voice broke his reverie. “Yeah?”

“Do you need anything?”

“I need to find the people who did this and kill them.” Connor spoke in a flat tone. Without his parents, and without his father, there was nothing else to live for. He would kill demons, and he would avenge the deaths of the two very kind, very normal people who had loved him.

Even if they’d been forced to do so.

“We’re working on that,” Wesley said. “Although we’re unaware as of yet who ordered or encouraged the attack on you and your parents, we’ll find out.”

“Great.” He took a deep breath. “Look, thanks for everything you’ve done, but I think I want to be alone for a while.”

“Take all the time you need, lad.” Ellen patted his cheek in a motherly gesture, then led Dana out of the room, speaking to her in a soft voice.

Faith put a hand on his shoulder. “Let me know if you want to go out, okay? Even if we can’t find the people responsible, we can still kill a few bad guys.”

Connor nodded. It was probably the best offer he’d had all day, but he still wanted some time to sort through it all.

~~~~~

He stifled a yawn, wondering when a vampire—one that had killed two Slayers and bedded a third—started yawning. What sort of a vampire yawned? It wasn’t scary at all.

Spike could admit that he wasn’t truly scary anymore, if only to himself. Of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous, and that was why he found himself in Los Angeles.

“Spike!” Faith strode through the airport like a woman on a mission, a welcoming smile on her face. “Good to see you again.”

“You, too.” He adjusted the strap of his duffel bag on his shoulder. “Hope you weren’t waitin’ too long.”

“When are flights on time?” The question was rhetorical, and he didn’t respond. “How are you?”

“Fine.” Spike didn’t see the need to tell her the truth—that he was about as tired as he’d ever been. “You?”

“Busy,” she admitted. “We’ve actually got some time, though, if you want to catch a few hours of sleep.”

“God, yes.” The words slipped out before he could stop them. “Don’t know the last time I had a comfortable bed.”

“We’ve got a few extra at the hotel.” Faith shrugged. “We can’t really start on the plan until Angel does his thing. Things will start to go fast, then.”

“No offense, luv, but I’m still tryin’ to figure out what the hell I’m doin’ here.” Spike tossed his bag into the backseat of the SUV Faith had led him to, then slid into the passenger seat. “I get that you need help, an’ I got no problem with that, but Rupert seemed to indicate that you have plenty of Slayers and Watchers.”

She shook her head. “We’ve got a few. The problem is that we’ve got a secret organization that wants to end the world, and we need to take them all out at once. That means we need a little more than a small army.”

“You need a group of trained assassins.” Spike shook his head. “Dunno that I’m the one you want.”

Faith snorted. “You’re what we’ve got, according to Giles. Besides, I think you’ll do fine. It’s a matter of figuring out who’s going after which one, and matching up strengths and weaknesses. Wes’ll take care of that. Plus, you’re the one who was training Slayers, and we’ve got a few days for you to teach them everything you know about fighting dirty.”

“Me?” Spike chuckled. “Think you could teach them a few things, too.”

“You know what they say. Two heads are better than one.”

“That is what they say.” Faith gave him a sideways look. “How’s Buffy?”

“You tell me,” he said glumly. “We haven’t seen one another in weeks.”

Faith smirked. “I knew you two were getting it on in Sunnydale.”

“We weren’t, actually. That didn’t happen ‘til I got resurrected, but we’re alright.” Spike thought about what Nora had said, about her Slayer dream where he was there and gone in an instant, and he wondered how long that was going to be true.

Wanting to change the subject, and having no desire to emulate a certain broody relation of his, Spike asked, “Where’s Angel in all this?”

“Being Angelus. It’s the only way he can figure out who all the members of the Black Thorn are.”

Spike shifted in his seat so that he was facing her. “How bad is this, Faith?”

“No lie?” She met his eyes straight on. “It’s bad, maybe worse than Sunnydale at the end.”

And that’s what Spike had been afraid of.

~~~~~

Gunn wasn’t sure how he’d wound up at Fred’s, but the others hadn’t needed them around to jog Connor’s memory, and he had no desire to go back to an empty apartment. If he was with someone else, if he could successfully distract himself, he didn’t have to think about how many holes there were in his memory.

There were too many things he couldn’t remember anymore.

“What are you going to do when this is over?” Gunn asked idly, looking up from the knife he’d been honing.

Fred shrugged. “Well, I did find that anomaly with the Slayer’s blood that we could probably use to help the Council. Maybe I’ll figure out a way to use that in the spell, or something.”

“You’re not staying in L.A.?”

“Why should I?” She had been lying on the couch, and she rolled to her side to face him. “There’s nothing for us here, Gunn. Why shouldn’t we leave? At least after this is over.”

Gunn tried to imagine a life outside of Los Angeles and couldn’t. He was L.A. born and raised, and the thought of leaving him scared him more than anything else ever had.

“Yeah.”

“You wouldn’t have to.”

“What else have I got here?” He’d thought about looking up his old gang, trying to get them on board for this fight, but Gunn knew that he’d burned every bridge there. They had been his family, and he’d lost them—just as he’d lost his sister.

And now, just as he’d lost this family, too.

Fred reached out for him, her knuckles brushing his jaw line in a tender gesture that fell somewhere between romance and friendship. They were still trying to work that out, too, and Gunn wondered if they ever would.

“You’ve got me.”

He grasped her hand and held on, his eyes holding hers for a long, silent moment. “You think you could love a knucklehead like me?”

Fred just sighed. “You’re not a knucklehead, and when you figure that out, I think we’ll both be better off.”

She didn’t release his hand, though, and he kept holding on. There wasn’t much else for him to hold on to.


	20. Chapter 20

Faith ran the girls through their drills again and again, throwing sideways glances at Spike, who was giving Abby his undivided attention. With no real way to get her out of town before things started going south—as they were bound to do—she needed to know everything they could teach her in a short period of time.

“Good,” she heard him say. “Very good, pet. Take a break.”

The young teen began walking off the soreness, already knowing from experience that if she dropped, she’d just stiffen up. Faith called a break for the rest of the girls, too, and went to sit next to Spike against the wall.

“I hate this.” Spike’s muttered words were just loud enough for her to hear.

“What’s that?”

“Waiting.”

Faith sighed. “Angel’s working on his end.”

“Fuck Angel,” Spike said rudely. “Or maybe he should go fuck himself.”

“Spike.”

“What?” Spike’s expression was sour. “Don’t ask me to like that poof, Faith. He’s a bloody wanker, an’ if he hadn’t taken that job, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

Faith raised an eyebrow. “No, but maybe the Senior Partners would still be working on ending the world without warning.”

Spike snorted, but she could see that he was listening. “Angel’s doing the best he can. We knew that it might take him some time to get inside.”

“An’ how is he goin’ to do that?” Spike demanded in a low voice. “It’s not like you can get into a group like that with a secret password.”

“I think they’re going to ask him to kill Cordelia.”

“And you’re okay with that?” The words came out in what was nearly a yelp.

“I don’t think Cordy’s really alive, anyway.”

Spike shook his head. “You know, there was a time when that wouldn’t have made any kind of sense at all.”

“Yeah.”

“Buffy’s not coming.”

“Why not?” Faith glanced over at him. “You call, she comes, right? If you think we need her—”

“Doesn’t work like that this time.” Spike was quiet for a long moment. “If I gave you something, would you make sure she gets it?”

It was Faith’s turn to swear. “Spike—”

“I’d do the same for you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You an’ Wes?”

“It’s not like that.”

“It’s exactly like that.” Spike gave her a knowing look. “You’re talkin’ to Love’s Bitch. I know it when I see it.”

The words sent a flash of panic roaring through her veins, but she didn’t have time to respond because Wesley came charging down the stairs. “Angel sent word. We’re getting the names tonight. Lorne’s bringing the information.”

As the Slayers began trooping upstairs, all thoughts of training forgotten, Spike looked at her, his blue eyes serious. “Well?”

“Well what?”

“Will you?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Faith watched him climb the stairs and wondered what he knew that she didn’t.

~~~~~

Angel had been waiting for Lilah’s arrival, although it wouldn’t do to let her know that; if there was ever a time to try for the Oscar in the appearance of evil, it was now.

“Can we make it snappy, Lilah?” he asked, giving every indication of boredom. “I’ve got a meeting in five.”

“You’re going to want to reschedule it,” she informed him. “You have better things to do.”

Angel snorted. “Forget it. If someone wants to read me the riot act over how I’m doing my job, they can come themselves.”

“This isn’t about the riot act.” She sat, apparently deciding that Angel wasn’t going anywhere until he had some sort of explanation, which was true enough. “You’ve made it clear that you’re ready for the next level, but we need a show of faith.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And what would that be?”

“In order to get into the meeting, you’ll need to bring us Cordelia’s dead body.”

It was only because Angel had been expecting the request that he managed to keep the bored expression on his face. “Is that all?”

The shock that made Lilah’s eyes widen ever-so-slightly was satisfying, as was the fear he could see reflected there. She had seen him dark before, had seen what he was willing to do when he gave up on caring about the rest of the world.

But Lilah had only a passing acquaintance with Angelus—enough for a healthy dose of fear and the suspicion that the Black Thorn might have bitten off more than they could chew.

Which would be true—if he had truly lost his soul.

She recovered almost immediately and shrugged. “If that’s how you want to see it, yes. I’ll give you directions. You’ve got an hour; the invitation is only good for that long.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem.” Angel watched as she wrote down the instructions, hiding the pain he felt. He had less than an hour before the show began. It wasn’t enough time.

As soon as Lilah was gone, he headed up to his suite of rooms and found Cordelia already waiting for him. She saw the slip of paper in his hands, and her hazel eyes met his. She lifted one eyebrow in question, and he nodded.

Cordelia held out the shimmering box that they had been saving for just this occasion, and then dropped it to the floor. When it was safe, when they were protected from spying eyes and ears, she walked straight into his arms.

“We don’t have to do this,” Angel said, a little desperately. “We’ll find another way.”

“There isn’t one.” Her voice was steady. “This is the only way, Angel.”

He shook his head. “Cordy, I can’t lose you.”

“You aren’t losing me. We’re just saying goodbye for a little while.” She stroked his cheek, her expression wistful. “I’m sorry you have to do this.”

“You’re sorry? Cordy—”

She ran her hand down his chest. “We don’t have much time,” she said, cutting him off. “I left notes for everybody.” Checking herself, she amended, “Almost everybody. You’ll see that they get them?” He nodded, and she continued. “I love you.”

Angel closed his eyes. “I can’t do this.”

She pulled his head down, her lips caressing his. “That’s why you won’t have to. Just make it look good.”

Before he could ask what she was talking about, Angel heard her heart stutter and begin to slow. “No. Cordelia—”

She clung to him to keep herself upright. “Give them a show they won’t forget.”

“What did you do?”

Cordelia didn’t respond—she was fading too fast—but Angel thought he already knew. He did the only thing he could under the circumstances—he destroyed the device that had kept them safe from being overheard, and he gave them a show.

With one, swift motion, Cordelia’s neck was broken, and her dead body slumped to the floor.

He knew that Angelus would have tortured her, and maybe they would ask that question of him, but he’d simply say that he hadn’t had the time. Lifting her lifeless form into his arms, Angel walked out of his apartment.

He had a meeting to make.

~~~~~

Wesley paced the length of his office impatiently. The call he’d received had come from Angel, the prearranged signal given in mere seconds. “Yes,” he’d said, and because Lorne would be the last of them left at the law firm, he was the logical one to bring the news.

If he ever arrived.

“Wes? You’re making me dizzy.” Faith was lying on the couch, her eyes following his movements. “Lorne will be here when he’s here.”

He shook his head. “I can’t sit.”

“Then stand still,” she advised. “Or, better yet, grab one of those thick books you like so much, and read for a while.”

“I can’t!”

She sat up slowly. “You want to tell me what’s got you so worked up?”

He stopped. “It’s Cordelia.”

“Wes—”

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I thought if she came back, she’d talk sense into him. I thought—” Wesley wasn’t sure what he’d thought, but he certainly hadn’t contemplated the situation that now faced them.

“You thought you still had a chance to get Angel out of this. So did I. We all thought that, Wes.”

“I didn’t think that Cordelia would wake up just to die,” he said harshly.

Faith sighed. “I don’t think she was ever meant to be alive again.”

“So the Powers That Be brought her back to serve as a tool?”

“Are you really surprised by that?” Faith stood. “You think we’re more than that?”

“No, not to them.” It hurt to admit, but he knew that it was nothing but the truth. They were no more than tools to be used to serve the greater good, even if their deaths were required.

She walked over to him and grabbed the front of his jacket. “That’s why we have to be more to each other.”

Wesley wasn’t sure that he understood what she was trying to say. “Are we more?”

“We’re partners,” Faith assured him.

He felt a profound disappointment. “Of course.”

When he turned away, she seized his arm and pulled him back. “What did you want me to say?”

“Nothing. Of course we’re partners.”

“Shit.” Faith pulled him in and kissed him hard, teasing him with lips and teeth before pulling back. “I think you could say we’re more than partners, but you have to know that every guy I’ve been close to has turned out to be a total bastard.”

“I think you know me better than that,” Wesley said, feeling hurt.

“Yeah, but—”

“Old habits die hard?” He ran a hand down her face, caressing her cheek. “I get that.”

“Wes!” Leslie stuck her head in the office. “Lorne is here.”

Wesley knew from the expression on Lorne’s face that Angel had completed the first part of his assignment. “Cordelia?”

It was the first word out of his mouth, and Lorne gave a brief shake of his head. “That was the deal.”

Wesley cursed. He’d known it was coming; Cordelia had seen it herself. That didn’t make it any easier to hear. “Did Angel get the information?”

“He got it. I’ve got your assignments right here, although Angel said that you’d be the one to make them—other than the Archduke Sebassis. He wants to be the one to kill him.” Lorne shook his head. “We’ve got plenty of work to do.”

“I’ll call Gunn and Fred,” Faith announced.

“How many do we have between us?” Wesley asked.

“Other than the Archduke, there’s the Fell Brethren, Cyvus Vail, the Sahrvin, Senator Brucker, and Izzerial the Devil. Izzy likes to dine with four of the others on the list, so you can kill five birds with one stone.”

Wesley knew what the answer would be before he asked the question. “What are you going to do, Lorne?”

“I’m done here, Wes.” The green-skinned demon stood. “This isn’t what I signed up for. I’m not a hero, and I’m not an assassin. If you really needed me, I’d stay, but you’ve got the Slayers.”

Wesley found that he wasn’t surprised. “Where will you go?”

“I haven’t decided yet, but maybe I’ll see you again.”

It was a lie; Wesley knew that much. “And the organizing?”

“Angel’s taking care of it. There’s a meeting of the Black Thorn tomorrow; they want to see him, probably to convince him to kill you all. You’ll make the hit tomorrow night.”

Wesley nodded and put a hand on Lorne’s shoulder. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”

“This part I’m happy to help with.” Lorne glanced at his watch. “I should go. Here’s the rest of the information you’ll need. Between Angel and I, I think we’ve covered the bases.” He handed Wesley a manila envelope and left, his head bowed. Somehow, Wesley knew that he wouldn’t see the demon again.

Maybe it was for the best. At least one of them would emerge from this battle unscathed.

~~~~~

Faith wished they had a better place to go for a council of war. The lobby felt too open, but there were too many people for the office, and the basement was even less comfortable. Phoebe was the one to solve that problem.

“There’s the conference room on the second floor,” she offered, as everyone looked around for somewhere to sit. “It’s pretty dusty, but it might be better.”

“What conference room?” Wesley asked with a frown.

Uta shrugged. “There’s a big room with a huge table and lots of old chairs on the second floor. We found it when we were exploring.”

“Let’s go, then.” Faith certainly didn’t care about a little dust. They had other things to worry about at the moment.

The room was just as Phoebe and Uta had described, and Faith insisted on giving Wes the end of the table while she sat on his right. Spike lounged in the chair across from her, and the rest found seats where they could.

Ellen glanced around before she sat down next to Dana and murmured a quiet word—and just like magic, the dust was gone, although the room was still far from _clean_. “I’m allergic,” she explained briefly in response to the stares.

Wesley cleared his throat. “This is the situation as it stands,” he began without preamble. “There will be six targets, with the hits to be carried out tomorrow night. Angel informed Lorne that he would be taking care of Archduke Sebassis.”

“And that leaves us with five,” Spike drawled. “We can do the math, Watcher.”

“We do not know what the response from the Senior Partners will be—assuming that we’re successful in taking out each member in the first place,” Wesley continued as though he hadn’t been interrupted.

Ellen cleared her throat. “Who are the targets? I’m assuming that you want to match up strengths with weaknesses in this.”

“The first is Cyvus Vail, the sorcerer. I’ll handle him.” Wesley sounded determined, and Faith felt a stirring of alarm.

“Not alone,” she objected. “I think that’s first. Nobody goes alone.”

“Faith is absolutely correct,” Ellen said. “Which is why Dana and I will go with you to handle Vail. Next?”

Wes looked a little frustrated, then continued. “Izzerial the Devil and four others from the group dine together each night. Connor, I’d like you to take two Slayers and deal with them.”

“I’ll go,” Phoebe offered. “I’m the best with the crossbow, and it sounds like we’ll want to pick a couple off before we go hand to hand.”

“I’m with Phoebe.” Uta raised her hand.

Wesley nodded. “Very good. Gunn, I thought you might want to take on Senator Brucker. She has her campaign headquarters here in town, although according to the information that Angel sent, she surrounds herself with vampires. I think you should take—”

“Me.” Fred sounded determined. “You’re going to run out of people if you keep goin’ like that,” she pointed out. “And I think I have an idea for how to get it done, since we can get them all in one place.”

Wesley raised an eyebrow. “Very well.”

“What about me and Spike?” Faith asked. “You haven’t left us much.”

“The Fell Brethren and the Sahrvin will give each of you plenty to chew on.” Wesley’s expression was sardonic. “Spike, the Fell Brethren have taken charge of an infant that they plan on sacrificing. I have information on where to find the child’s mother.”

Spike nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Faith, take Caridad and Leslie with you to deal with the Sahrvin.”

Faith shook her head. “What about Spike? Everybody else has a buddy.”

“I don’t need a buddy,” Spike growled.

“He will if he’s trying to fight and hold a baby at the same time.”

The quiet voice was Abby’s, and Faith heard Wesley sigh. “Absolutely not.” He sounded determined.

“She’d be safer with me than left here on her own.” Spike sounded reluctant, and Faith could tell that he didn’t like the idea any more than the rest of them. No one like the idea of a child assassin, but the vampire was right about one thing—she wouldn’t be safe at the hotel if something or someone decided to attack.

“Call for more reinforcements.” Ellen made the suggestion. “I highly doubt that the Senior Partners are going to sit idly by while we destroy their physical counterparts one by one.”

Faith saw the merit in that idea right away. “I’ll call Ken. She’s the closest, and best case scenario is that they’ve taken a little field trip across the country.”

Wesley nodded slowly. “Very well. If they cannot get here before it’s time, then Abby will go with Spike.” Faith saw the look Wesley gave the vampire, clearly impressing upon him the fact that all sorts of bad things would happen to him should she be hurt. “Until then, I have the information on your targets here. I suggest that you each look over what’s there and discuss a plan of attack with your team. We’ll meet again to coordinate as a group.”

Faith watched as Wesley distributed the papers Lorne had passed along, then immediately went to talk to Ellen. That left her with no other choice but to do exactly as he’d suggested.

“Let’s go,” she said, motioning for Leslie and Caridad to follow her. “We’ll take this somewhere a little more comfortable.”

She looked over her shoulder at Wesley one more time, and their eyes met. Faith saw the truth reflected in his expression: they weren’t all going to make it out alive.


	21. Chapter 21

“I don’t see—”

“That’s because you’re not thinking, Wesley.” Ellen was beginning to get annoyed; he wasn’t considering the realities of fighting an experienced sorcerer.

The expression on his face made it clear that he felt insulted. “I beg your pardon.”

“Vail is experienced and powerful, and while you have real talent, it’s not enough to go up against him magically. He’ll kill you without a thought.” Ellen gave him a sharp look, the sort she gave trainees who weren’t thinking things through.

Wesley glared at her, then sighed. “Very well. What did you have in mind?”

“You can provide the distraction,” Ellen allowed. “Dana and I will take care of the actual assassination. That should allow you to feel as though you’re doing all the work.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he protested.

Ellen had been reading men and women almost as long as she’d been alive, and she therefore knew exactly what Wesley had planned. By taking on the target he believed was most dangerous, he thought to spare the others’ lives. “You have to let go of this guilt, Wesley,” she said quietly, glancing over at Dana. The girl wasn’t paying attention, a fact for which she was grateful.

“I—”

“Angel made the choice to join Wolfram and Hart of his own free will, and who could say what would have happened if he hadn’t? Would we have the opportunity to stop the Senior Partners now? Perhaps the world would have ended if events had not unfolded in just this way.” Ellen reached out to put her hand over his. “Guilt does you no good, because you do not know what would have happened.”

“Or perhaps the Senior Partners would not have had the opportunity to launch an apocalypse,” Wesley argued. “If I hadn’t—”

“That is the trouble with ‘what ifs,’ my friend.” Ellen sighed. “If you cannot believe it yourself, at least trust me when I say that your death would do our cause no good and great harm. You are an anchor for the others, Wesley.”

He shook his head, and she added, “And Faith?” His silence was answer enough, and she pulled back. “Very well. Let’s talk about what kind of spell you’re going to use to make Vail think you’re serious.”

~~~~~

“A bomb?” Gunn knew that his voice was about an octave higher than it normally was, but he couldn’t help it. He’d been thinking hand-to-hand combat, and here Fred was talking about blowing up the building.

“Why not?” she asked. “If we’re careful, no one will be able to trace it back to us. If you think that’s too much, we could always use flamethrowers. With that many vampires around her, I just think we’d be better off doing some of the fighting from a distance.”

Gunn nodded slowly. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Okay, so flamethrowers, or a bomb?”

Gunn started chuckling. Fred’s tone was so innocent; she might have been asking whether he wanted fries with his burger. “It’s a real good thing that you’re not evil. If you decided to take over the world, I’d give it a year before everybody was eatin’ out of your hand.”

She blushed. “I don’t know about that.”

“I do.” He couldn’t help himself, he’d think later. Her pink cheeks and almost-innocent expression, paired with the incredible brain just under the surface, made her too much to resist. His lips found hers with an ease that surprised him, as though nothing bad had ever happened between them, as though they were starting fresh.

Maybe they were, even in the midst of all this chaos.

“Flamethrowers,” he said, after he broke off the kiss. “Less chance of someone else getting hurt.”

“Okay.” Fred said nothing more, simply leaned in again for another kiss.

To Gunn, she tasted sweet and dangerous in equal measure, and he knew that he couldn’t lose her again. Fred kept him honest.

Without her, he had no idea where he’d be.

~~~~~

Faith twisted slightly, looking at Wes as he slipped inside the room. “What’s up?”

“Did you make your plans?”

“We’re set,” she replied. “Nothing too intense. It’s a big group of demons, right? Did you talk to Kennedy?”

“They’re coming, but they won’t be here in time. The flight out of Cleveland was delayed due to weather.”

Wesley didn’t sound any too pleased about it, and Faith knew why. “Spike will take care of Abby.”

“You can’t always take care of someone else in the middle of a fight.”

“This is Spike’s gig,” Faith reminded him. “He takes care of baby Slayers.”

“You sound as though you like him.”

“We have an understanding. We were in Sunnydale together, Wes. We saw some stuff, kicked the shit out of each other. There’s a bond.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re not jealous, are you?”

He coughed. “Of course not.”

“Then what was that?”

“What was what?”

“‘You sound as though you like him,’” Faith mocked. “If that’s not jealousy, I don’t know what is.”

“It’s not jealousy. It’s just—he’s a vampire.”

“And I’m a Slayer.” Faith flopped down on the bed. “Don’t get me wrong, Wes. I’m not judging or anything, but we’re called _vampire_ Slayers for a reason. Buffy seems to have lost the plot on that one.”

“I’m a Watcher,” he reminded her. “We’re told from very early on that if there’s one rule we’re not to break it’s to develop a personal relationship with our Slayers.”

Faith grinned at him. “Some rules are made to be broken.”

“Indeed.”

His eyes were still haunted, and Faith patted the bed next to her. “What about you? Did you get things worked out with Ellen and Dana?”

“I’m the distraction,” Wesley replied in a wry tone of voice. “Ellen seems to think that I’ll be best suited for the role of bait.”

“I can think of a few other things you’re suited for.” She grinned at him. “What’s up, Wes?”

Shaking his head, he finally sat down next to her. “I’m feeling sorry for myself. Ignore me.”

Faith moved so that she was straddling him. “I can think of a way to take your mind off that.”

“We might not survive this.”

Wesley wasn’t quite as distracted as he normally was when she turned her feminine wiles on him. Faith hardly thought that now was the time to be thinking about death—they could die at any time. That was the nature of their jobs.

“There are a lot of things we might not survive, Wes. We don’t have to talk about that now.”

“I need to.”

Faith pulled back, seeing the intent clearly in his eyes, and realizing that he wouldn’t be dissuaded. “Okay.”

“This thing between us—it’s more than just sex.”

She felt fear stir in her belly. Robin had said the same thing, but it hadn’t been true. For a moment, Faith was tempted to shut him down, to run away, to do anything but talk about the emotion that was already there.

Because if Faith didn’t know better—if she didn’t know that she wasn’t the type to fall in love and live happily ever after—she might have suspected that was exactly what was happening.

But at the same time, Wesley wasn’t some one night stand; he was, in fact, her longest-running relationship now, and that had to mean something. So she swallowed her fear and said, “I know.”

“If something happens to you…” He trailed off. “Promise me that you’ll be careful.”

Faith felt much the same way. “Only if you do the same.”

He smiled. “I’m bait, remember?”

“I remember what happens to bait.” She kissed him—hard, bruising, demanding. “Don’t let it happen to you.”

Wesley gentled the kiss before saying, “I have every reason to stay alive.”

And Faith knew, when they made love that night, they were giving each other every reason to come back alive.

~~~~~

Spike had tried to call Buffy, but she wasn’t around, and Willow’s voice had sounded strange to his ears. He told himself it was the distance, that even with new technology, international calls weren’t always clear.

He knew better, though. The pieces were beginning to fall together for him—Miriam’s prophecy, the ring, Nora’s dreams, Willow’s stilted words. This was one fight that he wasn’t going to walk away from, not unless he left now.

There was a part of him that wanted to, that thought of Buffy and Dawn and the young Slayers he’d trained, and wanted to live more than anything in the world. The bigger part, however, knew that if his sacrifice meant that they would live, it would be worth it.

That kind of sacrifice was always worth it.

There was a timid knock on his door, and Spike called for his guest to come in before he could think better of it. He didn’t think it was a good idea for him to be alone with his thoughts at the moment.

“Abby?” He sat up straight on the bed. “You alright, pet?”

She shook her head. “I thought I’d talk to Wesley, but he’s—” She stopped, clearly trying to think of a tactful way to describe the activities that were going on behind closed doors.

Spike’s sharp ears had heard some of it, and he’d seen the way Wesley and Faith looked at each other when they thought no one was watching. If Buffy had been around, he’d be doing the same thing.

“Passing time with Faith?” he suggested, coming to her rescue.

She shrugged. “I guess you could call it that.”

“What’s up?” Spike asked after a moment when it didn’t appear that Abby would give the reason behind her visit on her own. “Is something wrong?”

“I just—I’m going with you tomorrow, and I thought that maybe there was somethin’ I should know.” Her voice was steady, but Spike caught the thin thread of desperation there. She was a child going into battle, and he wanted nothing more than to put her on a plane for England, send her to Giles and the others who would give her what little childhood they could.

Instead, Abby got to be a hero.

Spike took a deep breath, trying to work out what to say. “There’s nothing I can say that’s going to prepare you for tomorrow,” he finally admitted. “It’s goin’ to be ugly, an’ you’re goin’ to be scared. There’s nothing I or anyone else can do about that.”

Her eyes were ancient. “I’ve seen ugly.”

Spike believed her. “Yeah. Look, you stick close to me, and follow your instincts. I’m gonna get you through this.”

“Okay.”

She said it with such simple faith that Spike was astonished. What was it, he wondered, that led Slayers of all ages to trust him? It had happened everywhere he’d gone for the Council now, and he had yet to discover why.

For some reason, he found himself questioning this girl, a near stranger. “You believe me?” She nodded, and he asked, “Why?”

“Because you’re a hero, right? Heroes keep their promises.”

Spike felt compelled to be honest with her. “Abby, this fight—”

“If we die, I’ll know you tried your best,” she said calmly. “I’ve nearly died a few times now. It’s not so bad.”

“No?”

“No.” Spike could see the child in her for all her maturity in other areas. “When I die, I’ll be in a better place. I’ll be safe, and I won’t be scared no more.” Abby smiled. “When you die, it’ll be the same.”

Put that way, Spike could see her point; he only wished he shared her belief that it would be the same for a demon like him.

~~~~~

Angel almost wished that Sebassis had caught him in the act—of course, if he’d been caught, the others’ chances for success would be much reduced. If he’d been caught, he’d likely be dead now, and that idea had a certain appeal.

Although Angel knew that Connor would probably need him, he didn’t want to survive this—not after he’d killed Cordelia and signed away any chance he’d had at the Shanshu. Besides, Connor wasn’t truly his, not since Holtz had kidnapped him.

The poisoning had gone down without a hitch, however. He’d seized Sebassis’ slave, piercing the little demon’s skin with the point on his ring. In a few hours, Sebassis would drink, and they would both die.

“Angel?” Harmony’s voice came from behind him. “Do you need anything else?”

“No. Go home, Harm, and take the next couple of days off.”

“Is there something I should know?” she asked, her voice taking on a note of cunning.

He turned to face her. “Not if you want to live.” Angel made certain that the threat was both clear. “Get out of here, Harmony. Hear me?”

She stared at him. “Good luck, Angel. You’ve been a really decent boss.”

Angel let her go, grateful that there was one less thing to worry about. Harmony was out of it, which meant that she’d be safe, and she wouldn’t betray their plans. Now he just had to wait until the sun went down, and he could meet the others.

What would happen after that, no one could say.

~~~~~

Connor watched as Izzeriel exited the restaurant with the other targets. “Ready?” he asked the girls.

Uta nodded. Her normally playful manner was all business now. “Ready.”

“Which one do you want to go first?” Phoebe raised her crossbow, pointing it in the direction of the group.

“Wait until we get closer,” Connor directed, his sharp eyes taking in the details. “Uta and I will approach first so we don’t lose the advantage of surprise.”

Phoebe nodded, her dark eyes intense. “You got it. Depending on the angles, I might be able to take out two.”

“Leave something for us to do.” Uta sent her friend a quick grin.

Phoebe shrugged. “Better move fast, then.”

Connor didn’t say anything, too intent on the hunt to think of anything else. Uta was at his side as he ran towards Izzerial and the others, and when they were just a few feet away, the crossbow bolt whizzed past his left ear, striking one of the demons in the heart. It went down with a thump, and Connor raised his ax to take the head off the one nearest to him.

With a bright, manic grin, he threw himself into the fight. Now that his memories were back, he knew that this was where he belonged. This was what he was meant to do.

~~~~~

Gunn clutched his old ax, the one that his old gang had made for him, and stared at the storefront where Senator Brucker had her campaign headquarters. “What do you think?”

“I think I’m really glad we brought the flamethrowers.” Fred was staring at the vampires visible through the backlit windows. There were a lot of them.

“I’m thinking the bomb might have been a better idea.” Gunn had known that Senator Brucker normally surrounded herself with vampires, but this was on the ridiculous side. It was almost as though she’d known they were coming.

Fred shook her head. “It’s too close to the other buildings. There would be no way to confine the damage.”

“You know I think it’s sexy when you talk like that.”

She treated him to a quick grin, then her face grew serious again. “How do you think the others are doing?”

“Don’t know, and I hate to say it, but we can’t afford to care right now. Eye on the prize, hon.”

Fred shifted the flamethrower so that it was sitting more comfortably on her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Gunn watched her head towards the building, her steps never faltering, and he knew it was love.

~~~~~

“Damn.” Faith looked around at the dead bodies. “That was not nearly as much fun as I’d hoped it would be.”

Leslie sniffed. “That was _not_ challenging. I could have handled them on my own.”

“Any one of the three of us could have,” Caridad replied, just as huffily.

Faith cleaned her knife off on the clothing of one of one of the dead demons. “Let’s hope that the others had just as easy a job. Challenges are nice, but I’d rather have everybody back in one piece.”

It was too bad that was probably too much to hope for.


	22. Chapter 22

Spike had known that while he would be able to sneak inside the house where the Fell Brethren—and the baby—were, Abby would have a much tougher time of it. It would be too difficult to disguise the fact that she was a girl.

Luckily, the information that Angel had gathered included a layout of the house, including where the child was being held, and that room had a window. It wasn’t terribly smart of them, but Spike got the feeling that the Black Thorn weren’t expecting anyone to attack _them_; they were too special.

He was prepared to show them exactly how special they were.

The hood covered his face and hid his features, but it also blocked his peripheral vision. Spike would just have to hope that no one tried to sneak up on him from the side.

Walking into the room where the infant lay, he glanced down into the crib. “Hello, little man. Your uncle Spike is here to take you home.”

The baby gurgled at him, and he sidled over to the window and lifted the sash. Abby slid into the room with a coltish grace. “I’m ready.”

Spike had just finished helping her secure the infant in the harness hanging across her chest when they were interrupted.

“What are you doing with the sacred vessel?”

His glare reminded Abby what her role was, and he turned to face the demons filing into the room. “Just thought I’d take him to get some fresh air. It’s not good for a kid to be cooped up like this.”

“Put the vessel back!” one of them demanded, stepping forward.

Spike pushed the hood back and let the robe drop to the floor. “Don’t think so. I guess we’ll be doing this the hard way.”

One of the demons went down without a sound, and Spike spared a moment to glance over his shoulder. Abby was right next to the window for a quick getaway, but she had a slingshot in her hand, and she was already preparing another shot.

Spike had no idea what she was using, but it sent another demon to the ground, and he threw himself into the fray, roaring, “Get him out of here, Abby!”

Not that he had much hope that she’d listen to him; she might be young, but she was still a Slayer.

~~~~~

Wesley wished he had been surprised when the doors to Vail’s mansion swung open at his touch. Either the sorcerer knew he was coming and didn’t care, or he had no fear of attack.

“I’ve been expecting you.”

The former, then.

“I’ve been looking forward to this,” Wesley said, turning to face the demon as he came out of a room to his right. “You’ve been trying to kill one of my Slayers.”

Vail’s movement approximated a shrug; he couldn’t move very well with all the tubes hanging off of him. “Clearly, I haven’t been trying very hard. If I’d wanted to kill her, she would be dead by now.”

“Then why?”

“I wanted to see how you would handle it.” Vail moved closer. “It’s too bad; you had promise.”

“Had?”

“That girl has you wrapped around her finger,” Vail observed. “You care for her.”

Wesley shrugged. “Perhaps I do.” He threw a fireball at Vail, knowing that the demon would block it easily, and he wasn’t disappointed.

Vail flicked it aside. “I may have been mistaken about you having promise. Do you really think your weak magic will have any effect on me? I could squash you like a bug.”

Wesley smiled. “I know. In fact, I’d counted on it.” This time, instead of a fireball, he threw a knife.

Vail blocked that, too, but he grunted as he stiffened. “What—”

“You didn’t think I’d come alone, did you?” Wesley asked as Dana twisted the knife in his back. She’d come from behind while he provided the distraction.

“I didn’t—” Vail gasped and collapsed, tubes pulling loose from the bags of fluids.

Ellen appeared as if from nowhere, standing over him. “You never thought anyone could beat you at your own game,” she said with a grim satisfaction. “That was your mistake.”

Wesley watched as Vail twitched one last time and lay still. “Well done,” he said quietly.

“It was.” Ellen looked at Dana, who was still staring down at the body. “Come on, love. There’s more work awaiting us.”

Dana met her eyes, then stared at Wesley. For the first time, he could see sense in her gaze, and he swallowed hard. “I’m ready,” she stated calmly. “But the horde is coming.”

A chill went down his spine. That did not sound good.

~~~~~

No one was at the hotel when Angel arrived, and he looked around, wondering if anyone was going to show up.

Faith strolled into the lobby with two girls moments after the thought had crossed his mind. “Angel.” Her voice was hard, and there was no welcome there.

He winced. “Faith. I trust you were successful.”

“The Sahrvin are dead,” she announced. “They were pathetically easy to kill.”

“No kidding,” one of the girls muttered. “We probably should have gone with Spike.”

Faith gave her a quelling look. “Spike can take care of himself.”

“And Abby?” the other girl asked.

“Abby can take care of herself, too,” Spike said, limping through the door. He looked a little the worse for wear, but the girl walking next to him appeared unscathed, and she was grinning broadly.

“Told you,” she said simply.

Faith raised an eyebrow. “Slingshot?”

“Worked great with those pellets Fred worked up for me,” Abby replied.

Angel glanced around. “What about the others?”

Faith shook her head. “We’re meeting here, and the rule was no contact. Nobody wants a cell phone to ring at a crucial point.”

“There was nothing crucial about our assignment,” Connor announced as he walked through the doors. “That was lame.”

“Lame _ass_,” Uta added for emphasis. “I don’t see how those guys were supposed to be ending the world.”

“Easy job?” Faith asked.

Phoebe shrugged. “Not hard, that’s for sure. I shot two, and Connor and Uta took the others. We would have been back sooner, but we got lost on the way home.”

“This wouldn’t have been easy without the extra firepower,” Angel rumbled. “Or if you hadn’t known who to take out, and where they would be. Those—”

“Those bastards meant to kill us all and destroy the world. We got the memo.” Spike crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

“Hey! A little help!” Fred’s voice was shaky, and Faith saw her supporting Gunn’s limping figure.

Spike got there first, and he took some of the weight off. “What happened?” he demanded.

“One of the vamps got him with a knife,” Fred gasped as they seated him on the couch in the center of the lobby. “I couldn’t hit it with the flamethrower because they were too close together.”

Faith looked at the wound, her face grim. “You need to get him out of here, Fred, and to a hospital.”

“I second that motion,” Spike put in. “We’re about to get hit with the shit storm of the century if I’m not mistaken, and the injured don’t need to be here. You can take Abby with you and call Giles.”

“I’m not leaving,” Gunn protested.

Fred shushed him. “You’re not going to do us any good if you’re dead.”

“What’s going on?” Wesley demanded as he strode in, Ellen and Dana at his heels. “Everyone, weapons. Dana tells me that the Senior Partners are going to open a portal.”

Angel noticed that Wesley didn’t even glance in his direction. “Wes—”

“You’re not armed.” Wesley’s voice was flat. “We’ve got trouble coming our way, and there’s no time for arguments.” He glanced at Gunn’s wound. “You need to get to a hospital.”

“Told him that,” Spike said. “Told Fred to take him and Abby, and then to call Giles.”

Wesley nodded shortly. “We’ll need reinforcements. According to Dana there’s a demon horde on its way. The more we kill coming out of the portal, the fewer will have the chance to run amok in Los Angeles.”

“Can’t you shut it?” Faith directed her question at Ellen, and Angel looked at her sharply.

Ellen shook her head. “That’s not where my talents lie. We must get ready.”

“We’re ready,” Caridad announced. The Slayers had all rearmed themselves, and Angel shuddered at their expressions.

They were, after all, _vampire_ Slayers.

“I want to stay!” Abby protested.

Fred shook her head. “I’ll need you to navigate, Abby.” She met Wesley’s eyes. “We’ll be fine. I’ll call when I can.”

“Go.”

Angel suddenly realized that Wesley was the one in charge, and that he was superfluous. They had plenty of warriors, but he needed to be there for himself. It was the only possible way to get justice for Cordelia, and to atone for his crimes. “What do you need from me, Wes?”

Wesley nodded at the weapons cabinet. “Get ready. There’s still plenty of work that needs to be done.”

~~~~~

Leslie clutched her sword as the sky appeared to open up in front of them, and she knew that she’d never look at special effects quite the same way again. She’d seen plenty of science-fiction movies, the ones that had worm-holes, and tears in the time-space continuum.

Special effects didn’t even come close to the real thing.

“What the fuck is that?” Faith asked.

“That’s the Senior Partners unleashing the horde.” Wesley’s voice was grim. He held a sword as well, and Leslie spared a moment to look towards him.

They had assembled in the alley behind the hotel, and she wondered if the Senior Partners had known where they intended to meet after assassinating the members of the Black Thorn. Fred had taken Gunn and a protesting Abby to the hospital; Wesley had warned them to get out of the city if they could—or at least as far away from the hotel as was possible under the circumstances.

Leslie understood why now as the rip grew wider, sparking blue light. She glanced over at Caridad, who looked frightened for the first time. That alone was enough to send Leslie’s heart into her stomach.

“Stay with your partner!” Wesley called over the roar of something that looked an awful lot like a dragon as it came flying towards them.

“I’ve got the dragon!” Angel began running towards the coming horde.

Spike shook his head and followed close behind. “Show-off!”

Leslie exchanged a look with Cari, who nodded. Swallowing her fear, she followed the others, running towards the rip in the sky and the demons and monsters pouring out.

And she thought of nothing but the fight for what seemed like forever.

~~~~~

Abby twisted in her seat between Fred and Gunn to look back to the hotel. She could see a blue light in the sky, and she couldn’t help but feel that it was totally unfair that she’d been sent away. Spike had been hurt, but she hadn’t been, and he’d stayed. She’d proven herself in the fight with the Fell Brethren.

Of course, Wesley had explained that if she stayed, the others would be worried about her, and distracted as a result. It was safer for everybody if she went with Fred and Gunn, and she could protect them in case the Senior Partners sent demons after them.

The explanation made sense, which was the only reason that Abby had left without more of a fight.

Gunn grunted in pain as the truck bounced over a pothole, and Fred muttered an apology. “Which hospital?”

“I don’t know.” Fred looked a little panicked. “Can you make until we get to UCLA? I think that should be far enough away.”

He managed to nod. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

Abby looked at Gunn’s midsection dubiously. The blood was still seeping, and she didn’t think that “fine” even began to describe it. “What are we going to tell the people at the hospital?” she asked. She knew all about lying to doctors.

She’d tried telling the truth one time, and things at home had just gotten worse. She was pretty good at lying and making it believable now.

“Mugging,” Fred said succinctly. “They’ll believe that.”

“They’ll call the cops.” Gunn braced himself against the door as best as he could. “And they’re gonna ask questions about Abby being with us.”

Fred glanced at her, then at Gunn. “Easy. You’re my boyfriend, and Abby is my sister. That’s what we’ll tell anyone who asks.”

Abby decided that Fred wasn’t bad at lying either. Only someone from the South would be able to tell that they were from different regions; anyone else would hear the drawl and believe their story.

She just wished she knew how the others were doing.

~~~~~

Faith whirled to take on the demon coming at her from behind. No one had known what to expect to come out of the portal, but the sheer numbers were something of a shock. Faith had thought that they would at least have a chance to beat them back, but they were just trying to stay alive at this point.

Victory was clearly not a possibility, not until they could close the portal.

She killed her demon with a well-placed knife thrust and looked around for Wesley. She didn’t want to lose track of him in the melee; Faith figured it was her job to keep him in one piece.

Scanning the crowd in the alley, Faith caught sight of Wesley. He was close to Angel and Spike, who were still trying to push back the dragon. Spike ducked and rolled as the dragon swiped at him, its claws catching the edge of his jacket and sending him flying.

Faith let out a curse as the dragon reared back, long neck stretched out. The fire that came roaring out of its mouth was aimed directly at Wesley.

Time seemed to slow to an impossible crawl, and she screamed, fear keeping her feet rooted in place.

Angel moved at a speed only a vampire could manage, his bulk shielding Wes from the worst of the blast. The big vampire was dust in the next moment. Faith could see Wesley on the ground, clutching his arm and writhing in pain.

She was at his side before she even realized that she had moved. “Wes?”

He was cursing a blue streak, and she saw the charring on his shirtsleeve. The skin underneath was already blistering. “Go, Faith.”

“We need to retreat, Wes. We can’t keep this up forever.”

“Call them in. We’ll go through the hotel basement.”

Faith pulled him to his feet by his good arm. “Let’s go!” she shouted. “We’re pulling back!” She moved backwards, keeping one arm around Wesley, holding her knife in her free hand. “Let’s go!” she yelled again, when it didn’t appear as though the others were moving fast enough for her.

“Shit,” Wesley swore as she jostled his burnt arm.

“Sorry,” Faith muttered.

They stood next to the door in the alley, and Faith counted off as the others came inside. All of the Slayers were in one piece, although it looked as though Phoebe’s arm had been injured, and Caridad was limping. Dana and Ellen ran inside, both of them looked to be unhurt. Angel was dust, and Spike and Connor were nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Spike and Connor?” she called after the others.

“I don’t know,” Leslie said, turning. “I can—”

“No time for that. If they’re not here, we can’t afford to go back and get them.” Wesley’s voice was shaky with pain. “Go.”

Faith looked back over her shoulder. The demons appeared to be unconcerned with them now that they were no longer fighting. Instead, they were heading out of the alley into the city.

This was not good.


	23. Chapter 23

“Did you get through?”

“You should try to get some rest.” Ellen continued bandaging Wesley’s arm. She’d sent Dana up for her kit before they’d fled the Hyperion, and she was grateful that she’d made sure to stock up on salves and first aid supplies before they had sent out the assassination teams.

He shook his head. “There’s no rest for the wicked, and that means no rest for us either. Did you get through?”

“No, but we’re safe for now. It appears as though the army is moving in, building a perimeter.” Ellen taped off the gauze. “They think they can keep the demons contained.”

“Can they?”

“Not without a great deal more firepower, and a lot more help.” Ellen sighed. “Which we can’t get until we manage to get a message out to Giles.” She picked up Wesley’s cell phone from the desk, looking at it thoughtfully. “Although…”

Ellen’s forte had always been the mind and the heart; she did very little with natural magic. There had been no need, because there were so many others who were better at it, and she was so very good at what she did.

If she could manage to boost the cell signal, however, make it possible for Wesley to get a call out—

“I got through to Kennedy,” Faith announced, entering the office Ellen had chosen to use as a makeshift infirmary. “She’s on her way with the other Slayers.”

“And Giles?” Wesley asked.

Ellen handed him the phone. “Try again.”

His look was questioning, but he quickly dialed the number with his good hand.

Ellen put her hand over his on top of the phone and focused. She wasn’t a techno-pagan, and therefore she could only pray that she was doing this right. It was true what they said; necessity really was the mother of invention.

~~~~~

Dana woke out of a deep sleep with a start, her dark eyes wide. “They’re coming.”

She was on her feet in the next moment, waking the other Slayers with a shake or a nudge; they all woke quickly. The dreams were in their eyes as well. Dana could see it.

“They’re coming,” she repeated.

The other girls didn’t question her. They simply grabbed whatever weapons came to hand, straightening clothing and pulling hair back into sloppy ponytails. “When?” Caridad asked her.

Dana shook her head. “I don’t know. Soon.”

“What’s up?” Faith called, coming into the room.

“Dana says they’re coming.” Leslie shrugged, shifting the scabbard so that it sat comfortably between her shoulder blades. “I say we listen to her.”

Faith nodded. “Let me grab my weapon.”

The building shuddered, and Dana jogged out of the room and towards the stairs. She didn’t bother waiting for the others; there was a fight at hand, and she needed to be there.

The gang of vampires had already broken through the glass doors by the time she reached the lobby of the abandoned office building. Dana threw herself into the fight with a will.

This was the only time that the chaos of her thoughts was stilled, when the past paled in significance to the present. Blood sang in her veins, air whistled through her lungs. Nothing mattered except the enemies before her and the dust they would become.

Two dusted on the end of her stake before the others joined her. Dana didn’t acknowledge them; she was too intent on the work at hand.

“Hey! Save some for us!”

A group of girls came out of nowhere, but Dana knew they were Slayers, and she didn’t pay them any mind. The only thing they could do was to reduce the number of enemies—and that wasn’t exactly a good thing in her mind.

“Kennedy!”

That was Faith’s voice, but even that didn’t break through Dana’s focus. She was death incarnate, and that was just the way she liked it.

This apocalypse offered plenty of work to keep her busy.

~~~~~

Wesley had never been so tired in all his life. Not even during the days leading up to Connor’s abduction had he been this weary. He heard pounding below, and he looked over at Ellen. “Giles is coming. He said that he’d handle getting through the army blockade.”

They had finally managed to get the call through, whatever good that had done them. “Let’s go.”

The fight was still raging when Wesley stepped outside the office building, but his eyes were drawn first to the girl’s body on the ground. “Ellen—”

“I’ll take care of her,” Ellen assured him.

Wesley didn’t stop to question. She’d performed all manner of miracles in the last 48 hours, only one of which was the fact that the salve she’d put on his arm was keeping the pain to a minimum.

As long as it wasn’t jostled.

Wesley swore fiercely as the pain went up his arm, and he felt a hand jerk him backwards just out of range of a vampire’s fangs.

“I don’t think this is the place for you,” Faith said. “Do you really want to get yourself killed?”

“I’m fine.” Wesley put a stake through the vampire. “We have a girl down. Ellen took her inside.”

Faith cursed. “We need a fucking breather, and reinforcements.”

“Giles is on his way,” Wesley replied. “I finally got through.”

Her back pressed against his as they faced their attackers. Wesley kept an eye on the others as they formed similar knots. “We can barricade ourselves inside.”

Faith’s suggestion made it clear just how bad she thought the situation was.

There was a shriek, and Wesley turned to see Dana fling herself into a group of demons. “Dana!”

“Go!” She fought like a wild thing, her lips pulled apart in a manic grin. Wesley realized that she was making sure that they could retreat safely.

Caridad and Leslie followed Dana into the fray. “We’ll cover you!” Leslie called.

Wesley knew they were buying time, and he had no choice but to let them.

~~~~~

Faith still wasn’t sure how Wesley had done it; from the chaos of the previous day, he had somehow managed to cobble together a semblance of order. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

“Buffy and the others will probably be in the city by now,” he murmured.

“Yeah, I was just thinking about heading out, looking for them.”

He turned to face her. “I believe that Ellen was going to do a locator spell for that. You have some time.”

Faith shook her head. “Time is what we don’t have. We’re in trouble, Wes. We managed to break open the vending machines for food and water, but that’s not going to last long. We’ve lost three people already, and I don’t think the worst is over.”

“It’s not,” he acknowledged. “But there are reinforcements on the way, and we will just have to hope that it’s enough.”

Faith perched on the edge of the desk. “I’m sorry about Angel.”

She could see the sheen of tears in his eyes. “As am I.” He closed the distance between them and pulled her close with his good arm. They held onto each other, and Faith wondered if this was what it came down to—holding on to each other because there was nothing else to hold onto.

Silence filled the room, but it was comforting after the noise and confusion of the last twenty-four hours.

“How is Leslie?” he finally asked.

Faith took a deep breath. “Ellen said she’ll be fine. It’s a sprain, not a break. Hurts like hell, but with the Slayer package, she should be fully healed in a couple of days.”

“Good. We can’t afford to lose her.” Wesley sat on the desk next to her. “I was able to reach Fred. Gunn is out of the woods, and is recovering. She’s going to stay with him. I told her she probably wouldn’t be of much help at the moment.”

Faith shook her head. “No, she probably wouldn’t be. Giles will have plenty for her to do, I’m sure. What about Abby?”

“Not terribly happy about being out of danger, but I feel better knowing that she’s safe for the moment.” Wesley ran a hand over his face, and Faith noted that his stubble was very nearly a beard. She somehow doubted that he’d have time to shave in the near future.

That was okay, though; Faith could get used to a beard. There were worse things in life.

There was a brief knock on the door, and Ellen stuck her head in. “Miriam is in the area, and I would assume Giles and the others are with her if you want to meet them. I can show you on the map.”

Faith rose. “Yeah. I’m on my way.”

“Take someone with you,” Wesley said.

She shook her head. “The others are either hurt or exhausted or both. I’ll stay out of sight until I find them.”

He sighed but didn’t argue. “Be careful.”

Faith smirked. “As always.”

~~~~~

Kennedy knew that she was supposed to be sleeping. The other Slayers had dropped off immediately as far as she knew. Faith was with Wesley, and Buffy was in another part of the building, so it was possible that they were also awake.

Climbing the stairs steadily, she came out onto the roof, as she’d hoped. She’d needed the fresh air, but she wasn’t so stupid as to go outside the building. The roof, at least, would be safer.

“Hey.”

She turned to see Faith standing there. “What are you doing up here?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I guess you couldn’t either.” Faith walked to her side. “You okay?”

“We lost Jess today.”

Faith sighed. “I know.”

“She was really coming along, you know?” Kennedy thought of the hours they’d spent training together, the fights they’d had over whether Jess would finish out high school or get her GED.

“I could tell. You did a really good job with her, Kennedy.”

She laughed bitterly. “This is so stupid, you know? What are we even fighting for? We all know that eventually there’s going to be one of these apocalypses that ends the world.”

“We don’t know that.” Faith leaned against the low wall running around the top of the building. “That’s why we’re fighting.”

“You said it yourself,” Kennedy argued. “You guys killed the Black Thorn, but it didn’t do any good, and it probably made matters worse. Now we have a demon army to deal with.”

“What? You think a demon army under someone’s control would be easier to deal with than a bunch of demons without a plan running around trying to kill us and each other?” Faith snorted. “You weren’t there when the portal opened, but they were starting to turn on each other when we called a retreat.”

“I just—I hate this.” Kennedy looked out over the city, noting that a rather large section was pitch black. The electricity was out, and the army had shut off the water. Living conditions were going to be primitive for quite a while, but that’s not what she was talking about.

Faith seemed to understand, however. “It never feels like a victory if you’ve lost somebody.”

~~~~~

Ellen waited until she saw Buffy leave the room before entering. “How did she take it?”

“Not well, as I’m sure you’re aware,” Miriam replied. “The bowl showed her what needed to be seen, however. I think she has at least accepted that it had to be this way.”

“That’s not what I saw when she walked past me.” Miriam might be head of the coven, and for good reason, but she did not have Ellen’s skill at reading others and their emotions.

Miriam folded her arms across her chest. “What else could I have done? We sacrifice one for the good of the many.”

“Don’t quote _Star Trek_ at me,” Ellen chided. “What if it had been Giles?”

“You noticed?”

“You’ve been alone for a very long time now. I’m happy for you.” Ellen paused. “And you still haven’t answered my question.”

“If it had been Rupert, I would be just as angry,” Miriam admitted in a low voice. “Angrier, perhaps, that others had taken the decision out of my hands. To be honest, I am just as upset, although because I could not fix this for her. I could not change this outcome.”

“There are things we cannot change. You know that as well as I do.” Ellen laid a hand on Miriam’s arm. “Just as you have always changed what you could. We both know that acceptance is the final stage of grief, not the first.”

Miriam shook her head. “There’s no need for grief. Spike is not dead.”

“But he is not here, and I think you understand that as well.”

The head of the coven shrugged her shoulders, as though shaking off the weight that had fallen on her. “You’ve done a marvelous job with Dana.”

“She is a warrior at heart,” Ellen said honestly. “I only needed to show her the way out of the darkness.”

As one, they looked out the window into the night. “There is plenty of darkness to come yet.”

Ellen pulled her friend and relative into an embrace, doing what she could to take some of the burden. This was one of the reasons that she was very grateful to be just one more witch in the coven, rather than in charge.

The burdens of leadership were many, and Ellen had yet to see any benefits that would make it worthwhile to her.

~~~~~

When the sun rose over Los Angeles, Buffy was awake to see it. It tinted the sky red, and she murmured, “Red sky at morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight.” Where Joyce had heard it, Buffy had no idea; she’d never asked, had never thought to ask until it was far too late.

Standing at the window, staring at the colors that lit up the sky, Buffy wished that Spike could have been there with her. He should have been there with her. He would have held her close and told her that everything would be fine, that they would get through it. Then, he would have made several very indecent suggestions for what they could do afterwards.

Everything felt wrong—Spike had disappeared, Xander was on the other side of the world, Angel was dead—as was Cordelia—and Willow had betrayed her.

It was ironic; Buffy was one of hundreds of Slayers now, and she was still alone.

“Buffy?”

Wesley’s voice was curiously gentle. “Yeah?”

“Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” She left the empty office and joined him in the hallway.

“Have you eaten?” he inquired.

She shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

“I won’t tell you that you should eat something, but—” Wesley handed her a granola bar. “We don’t know how long this is going to take.”

“Months.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“This—” She waved indicating that she was talking to the situation as a whole, and not just closing the portal. “It’s going to take months to undo this sort of damage. I was listening last night, Wes. I know how many demons have come through.”

He sighed. “Yes, well…”

“And I’m not leaving L.A. until I find Spike.” Her voice was hard. “We leave together or not at all.”

Wesley was silent for a moment, then he said, “You have my help if you want it. I’m sure that Faith will say the same.”

“I appreciate that.”

Wesley turned on a flashlight to navigate the stairs, and Buffy followed him down, watching the bobbing light in fascination.

When they exited the building, Buffy found the others waiting for them. Over half of their number had been injured in some way, and the sight of the bandages did not make her feel better. An injured fighter was a liability, but they needed every warm body.

“Okay,” Buffy began, looking at Miriam. “What do you need from us?”

Miriam’s face was serene. “We need to get close enough to the portal to send Dawn’s blood through, and Willow and I will need our full concentration. The other coven members will set up a shield, but we will need more protection.”

Buffy nodded. “You’ve got it.” She looked at the rest of them. “Listen, I know we haven’t all trained together before, but you guys need to look out for each other. Find a partner and stick together. Don’t let yourself get separated from the rest of the group. That’s easier said than done, but that’s how people get killed.”

“How do you want to play this, Buffy?” Faith asked. “Is each group taking a witch?”

“Good call,” Buffy acknowledged. “Pair up and figure out who you’re defending.”

She watched as the others found a partner, then a witch. When Buffy was certain that everybody was covered, she joined Wes and Faith.

“Want to form a threesome?” Faith asked with a smirk.

Buffy smiled for what felt like the first time in days, and she pretended to give Wesley the once over. “I don’t know. Do you think he could handle two Slayers?”

Wesley just raised an eyebrow. “I think you’d be surprised by what I can handle.”

Buffy met Faith’s eyes, and a moment of understanding passed between them. Buffy hadn’t felt this in tune with the other Slayer since Sunnydale—before Faith killed the deputy mayor and went off the deep end.

“It’s a tempting thought,” Faith teased. “But I’d hate to break him.”

Wesley shook his head. “Let’s go. We’re wasting daylight.”

“I think we scared him,” Faith commented.

Buffy’s smile broadened. “Good.”

They shared another look, and Wesley groaned audibly.

For just a moment, Buffy didn’t feel quite so alone.

~~~~~

Something finally seemed to be going right for them. They were unmolested as they headed for the Hyperion and the site of the fissure, and Faith wondered if it had something to do with the fact that there were so many of them, and they were all heavily armed.

She wouldn’t have wanted to mess with them either.

Wesley’s good arm brushed hers, and she stole a look at him. He offered a reassuring smile, which she returned. For the first time in a long time, Faith knew that she and Buffy were on the same footing. Before, Buffy had been the good Slayer—the one with a family and friends and a boyfriend. Now, Faith had everything she needed, more than she’d ever thought to have.

It was a lot easier to be there for Buffy now.

The blue light of the fissure was visible from a block away, and Faith was the first to pick up the pace. She started jogging, Wesley matching her stride easily with his long legs. Faith pulled out her knife, readying herself for the fight.

Around her, the others also began to pull out weapons. They had waited until now to avoid tiring arms and shoulders early. All of them had had a workout yesterday that no amount of training would have prepared them for, and Faith knew that she was sore.

The fissure came into full view, and Faith saw another demon come through like nothing she’d ever seen before. “Time to saddle up!”

The Slayers and Watchers who weren’t helping with the spell casting broke off into pairs, spreading out to clear the way. They had been unmolested on the way, but that was changing. Demons began to converge on their position, and Faith jumped into the fight, trusting that Wesley would have her back.

Buffy was at her right, her sword flashing in the early morning sunlight. The sound of a shotgun blast echoed over the clash of steel and fists on flesh, and Faith heard the distinctive sound of Wesley releasing one shell casing to reload. Shotguns might not have any effect on vampires, but they would take down a demon without too much trouble.

Which Wesley had just demonstrated.

Faith disemboweled a demon going for one of the witches and watched as Buffy did the same on the other side of her. Wesley had discarded his shotgun and was now using the ax that Gunn had left behind.

The battle was too chaotic for her to pay attention to any of the others. It was as much as Faith could do to keep an eye out for Buffy and Wes, and she knew that they were trying to do the same.

Suddenly, the figure of a young man flashed across her line of sight, and Faith’s eyes widened as she recognized Connor. He caught the blade a demon had meant for Buffy and disarmed it with an effortless flick of his wrist. Buffy ran it through immediately, throwing him a grateful look.

“Connor!” Faith called. “Where’s Spike?”

“He’s gone.” Connor jerked his head at the fissure. “I think one of them dragged him through.”

Faith was sorry she asked, because Buffy heard that and took two steps towards the fissure. “No!” she shouted. “Buffy, you can’t.”

Wesley grabbed for Buffy’s arm, but she pulled free easily. Connor seemed to realize what they were trying to do, because he snaked an arm around her waist, holding her fast.

Faith was never sure what would have happened had Miriam not thrown the vial of blood through the fissure at just that moment. She and Willow shouted the last words of the spell, and the portal closed with a crack like thunder, cutting the demon on its way through in half.

She heard Buffy’s cry of horror, but Faith didn’t have time to deal with the other Slayer’s grief.

There were still more demons to kill.

~~~~~

Wesley checked the doors of the hotel, making sure that they were secure. Now that the fissure was closed, the Hyperion was the only choice as far as a defensible location was concerned. Because the hotel was in his name, vampires wouldn’t be able to enter, and that was one worry they could cross off the list.

He looked around the lobby. They would need to get some cleaning done, however.

Wesley went back inside his office, finding Giles and Miriam leaning against the bookshelves, with Buffy and Faith seated on the couch. The blonde Slayer was holding the crystal Miriam had given her, staring at the glowing point of light pensively.

“He’s alive, Buffy,” Giles said quietly. “We’ll find him.”

“I’ll find him,” she corrected him. “You two are going back to England.”

The head Watcher winced. “Yes, but—”

“I need you to keep things on the right track, Giles. Our attention is going to be focused here until we’ve cleared out the demons.”

“She’s right, Giles,” Wesley said quietly. “We can keep the situation here under control, but not if we’re worrying about anything else.”

Giles nodded reluctantly. “I would agree. Miriam and I will set up a supply line before we leave.”

“As well as a better means of maintaining communication,” Miriam added.

“You’ll take care of Abby?” Wesley asked. “She’ll want to come back, but—”

“She’ll do well in England,” Giles said. “There are a number of Slayers about her age. We’ll be sending you everyone we can spare as they are trained.”

“That would be appreciated.” Buffy rose and tucked the crystal back in her pocket. “If no one minds, I’m going to get some sleep. You guys are leaving in the morning?”

She addressed her question to Giles and Miriam, who both nodded. “We’ll see you before we go,” Giles replied.

“Sure.” Buffy sounded as though she didn’t care, and she left after a murmured goodnight.

Giles rubbed his temples. “Well, that went well.”

“Come on, Giles, you knew that’s what was going to happen,” Faith said. “We’ve got little enough control as it is, and you basically took any choice she had away from her.”

“We had no choice,” Miriam asserted.

Faith shrugged. “Hey, I didn’t say you did. I just said you knew how she’d respond.”

“I take it you two are staying?” Giles asked.

“That arm should probably be looked at,” Faith said, giving Wesley a look.

Miriam shook her head. “I checked it. He’ll be fine, although I would suggest allowing Ellen to continue to put salve on it.”

Wesley noted that Faith didn’t look terribly happy about that, but she nodded.

“We should get some sleep ourselves,” Giles announced. “It’s going to be another long day tomorrow.”

When they were alone, Wesley sat down next to Faith on the couch. “If I wasn’t so damn tired, I’d jump you right now.”

“I’ll echo that.” He leaned his head back, feeling Faith collapse against him. “I have a feeling that we won’t have time for a lot of things.”

She snorted. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. You make time.”

There was a long period of silence, and he said, “Penny for your thoughts.”

“I wish I’d had the chance to make things right with Angel.”

“I know.” Wesley had the same regrets. He seemed to be accumulating them. “Did you talk to Connor?”

“Little twerp laid low knowing we’d be back, then popped out at just the right moment.” Faith shook her head. “I swear that kid has more lives than a cat.”

Wesley raised his eyebrows, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth. In spite of her words, it was clear that Faith had a certain affection for the boy. He did as well, and he knew without asking that they would both do everything in their power to ensure he survived. Connor was all they had left of Angel.

“I think I might be recovering.”

Wesley’s eyes opened. “Oh?”

“You up for it?”

“For you? Always.” As Faith straddled him, Wesley gripped her hips, his eyes meeting hers. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but he knew that it would only scare her away. Still, he wanted to try. “Faith…”

Her gaze was intense, fierce, and then her whole face softened, and the kiss she pressed to his lips was almost gentle. “I know, Wes. We’re good. Even if the whole world is going to hell, we’re good.”

Wesley decided that he couldn’t have put it better himself.


End file.
